A Leader's Call
by skydarius11
Summary: An alternate ending after Jailbreak. How far will Steven go to protect the ones he loves?
1. Chapter 1

The giant hand-shaped space ship crashed into the sanctuary of the Crystal Gems. The reverberating shockwaves could probably be felt the next state over. In the midst of the destruction, a lone pink lion ran across the sand, trying to find his young companion. Sensing his energy underneath a pile of the broken alien craft, Lion unleashed a mighty, supersonic roar that blew away the debris.

A large pink bubble was revealed, and it contained the four escapees of the home world gems' clutches. The bubble shield disappeared and allowed the gems to stretch out their limbs.

"Nice one" fondly remarked Garnet.

Steven reveled in the praise until he remembered, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you're a fusion all the time!"

"You met Ruby and Sapphire?!" asked a very surprised Amethyst.

"Oh no! We were going to introduce you! Garnet, your plan…" replied a disappointed Pearl.

Garnet simply shrugged and said "We were waiting for your birthday."

Being the little fun ball that he is, Steven exclaimed "We can still do it! I'll just pretend that I didn't know!"

That earned a couple of chuckles from Amethyst and it seemed as though the gems could relax after all the madness they went through.

But that tension-free atmosphere soon dissipated when a battle weary, orange striped warrior emerged from the wreckage. Collapsing to her knees the defeated gem spat out, "Don't think…you've won! You only beat me…because you're a fusion! If I had someone to fuse with I… huh?"

Her train of useless threats came to a halt when the other occupant of the ship's jail cell rustled from underneath a large chunk of debris. Lapis Lazuli yelped in exhaustion when she moved the large ship fragment off of her. She was about to fly off using her water wings, but was painfully grabbed by the ankle by Jasper. "C'mere brat!" Holding her like a rag doll by her wrist she sneered, "Oh, don't fly off so soon."

"Lapis!" shouted Steven. He made a move to go to her but Amethyst and Pearl held him back.

"Lapis listen, fuse with me!" demanded Jasper.

"W-what?" replied the confused gem.

Forcibly grabbing her cheeks Jasper asked, "How long did they keep you trapped here on this miserable hunk of rock?!" before dropping her down onto the grainy ground.

"Like you're one to talk you big meanie! You locked her up in prison!" shouted Steven.

"Shut up Rose!" retorted Jasper. "You're the one who went against home world and your actions caused her to be trapped here in the first place!"

The air hung heavy around Steven's mind at this realization. He couldn't even hear whatever the crystal gems were shouting back at Jasper. All he heard in his mind were his father's words just hours prior to this dangerous confrontation, "_No such thing as a good war kiddo. Gems were destroyed…and people too."_

He snapped out of his daze when he heard Lapis yelp in pain again. Jasper had her by the straps of her dress and concluded, "This is your chance to take revenge!"

"Lapis" Steven's voice was soft but it carried an immeasurable amount of weight to it that it caused everyone to look at him.

"I'm sorry"

The air was still; even the waves receded as if to give the boy room to speak.

"I don't know what happened at that war you guys keeping talking about, but I'm sorry you got hurt. Let me make up for then and for not being able to get back to you when the ship crashed."

He pushed Pearl's and Amethyst's arms away from his body and took a step forward. "Jasper! I trade myself for Lapis!" announced Steven.

Of course his overprotective family was having none of it!

"Steven! Are you insane?!" shouted Amethyst.

"You can't be serious! You can't go with her! This is out of the question and your declaration is refuted!" rambled a panic-stricken Pearl.

But Steven turned his head to look at the three of them and stared them down, just like he did to that rigged rock sphere. "Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl. As the son of Rose Quartz, your former leader, I order you to let me do this…please…"

They were stunned. They didn't know what to do. It was surprising to say the least that Steven could even utilize his birthright like that. He turned back to Jasper and asked, "So, do we have a deal? If you want me, you have to leave Lapis, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and my planet alone."

Jasper scoffed at the young hybrid, "Are you serious?! You would trade your life for this weak spit gem and your ragtag bunch of inferior nobody's? Do you have any idea what Yellow Diamond will do to you?"

"I have an idea, but I don't care. This is my home, they're my family and she's my friend. And I'll do anything to protect them. So, what's it gonna be? I know you have some way of calling another ship or something" he said.

Jasper revealed the most wicked smile and said, "I accept" as she threw Lapis toward the temple.

When he saw her land on top of some of the ships part with her body now covered with fresh bruises, he was filled with rage. But he remained calm.

He walked over to Jasper's awaiting vice-like grip, but before that he said, "Lion, you're dismissed from that spot" His furry confidant understood and took off into one of his self-made warp holes.

"Where'd your beast disappear too?" Jasper suspiciously asked.

"Beats me, he does his own thing most of the time" shrugged Steven as he got closer to her.

Once he was within her grasp, she hoisted him up in the air with a proud grin etched into her face. But unlike the first time she grabbed him, Steven didn't struggle. In fact he did a complete one eighty, he showed no fear and just stared down at her. Needless to say this agitated her.

She brought him down so he was level with her eyes. "You've got some nerve, Rose. Look at the predicament you're in. But I guess that's another thing I respect about you, you never give up. But mark my words" she lowered hers voice to a harsh whisper, "I'm going to pulverize you until the shards of your gem are like this sand."

Steven didn't even bat an eyelash as Jasper threatened him. This time was different than the previous time he was held in her iron grip. This time, his love for his friends and family outweighed his fear of her. Unfortunately, that didn't sit well with Jasper - literally an alien to the concepts of compassion and friendship. Unable to stand his silent defiance any longer she released him and punched in the chest. The impact created a small crater in the sand.

"STEVEN!" Pearl and Amethyst tried to rush to him but Jasper jumped out of the crater and held the moaning hybrid. "Take one more step and Rose dies."

It was déjà vu. She was serious the first time and she was now. But this time they didn't care. If they were going to perish trying to save the one person that gave their lives new meaning, they'd gladly do it. The duo were about to charge again, but were swiftly held back by Garnet.

"Garnet?! What're you doing?!" Pearl screamed as Amethyst thrashed about trying to get out of her gauntlet hold. But she remained quiet.

Jasper smiled at this and said, "Good. Don't worry…she'll still live. After I'm done beating her into the ground!" With that she continued to mercilessly bombard him with punches that would kill any normal human.

Pearl was stentorian! "Garnet! I swear if you don't let me go I'll cut your arm off!" she screamed.

But she still remained stoic. Amethyst tried to reach Jasper with her whip, but Garnet moved her so the strikes hit the sand. Off to the side, Lapis finally gathered her bearings only to witness and hear the chocked cries of her only friend and possibly soon, her martyr.

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

His body mustered once last ear piercing scream as Jasper kneed his arm just above the elbow ligament, breaking the bone like a dried twig. The scene unfolding before them was nothing less than extreme child abuse, and Steven's mutilated body lying on the ground…how could Jasper even smile after what she's done? It was a miracle that he was still breathing.

_"Why doesn't he retreat to his gem? What if he can't?! Steven! Please…no more…no more!" _

Those thoughts were filtering through all of the shock stricken gems. If that wasn't enough, Jasper put one foot on Steven's gem as an act of providence. That was straw that broke the camel's back.

"YOU MONSTER!" shouted Lapis and Pearl. Amethyst chose a few grungier words to express her hatred towards Jasper.

She blocked out their insults and continued to apply pressure to Steven's belly. She looked down at the little gem with contempt as well as confusion. "Why…"

Before she could finish her thought, Lion came up behind her via his warp hole and slashed her back. She immediately got off of Steven and shouted in pain. "Why you little-!"

Lion got away before she could make a move toward the giant cat.

Suddenly she found herself surround by Steven's bubble. She looked down and saw that his gem was glowing. His good arm was extended out to cast the shield. But the thing was, he was outside the bubble. He opened his good eye and saw Jasper pounding on the shield. Once the realization hit her she roared, "You baited me! You played me from the start! When I get out of here I'm gonna-!"

Once again she was interrupted, this time by the intensity of the light emanating from his gem. When the glow subsided, everyone was shocked to see pink vines surrounding the bubble. Everyone could still see an irate Jasper pounding away at the shield, but in her blind fury she couldn't see that with every punch that connected to the wall of the shield, thorns would emerge from the vines.

He created an **iron rose maiden**.

Jasper finally realized what was going on when her fist made contact with one of the long, sharp thorns.

"GAH!" she recoiled.

If gems could bleed, there would've been a lot of blood gushing out of the circular wound in between her knuckles. Her rising frustration and desperation just caused her to punch harder. Steven was struggling to keep the rose maiden intact, and it didn't go unnoticed by the gems.

Garnet released Amethyst and Pearl and they all ran to his location to help him. But they stopped in their tracks when a giant water hand rose out of the ocean. They looked over and saw Lapis use her hydrokinesis to surround the rose maiden in a sphere of water. Jasper took notice of this and looked over at Lapis' direction.

"YOU TRAITOR! Why are you siding with these miscreants?!" she demanded.

Lapis took a moment to put her newfound confidence and resolve into words. "…I never believed in this place and I'm not siding with them. But I don't believe in our new home world either. I'm done being everyone's prisoner, now you're **MY** prisoner! And I'm going to make sure you never see the light of day ever again! Because you hurt the one person I believe in!"

The water sphere began to fall back into the ocean. Jasper continued to punch in her violent tantrum, trying desperately to escape the double-layered prison. But the spikes kept growing, making contact with her flesh on all sides. She attempted to make one last threat, but was cut off when the rose maiden was fully submerged underwater.

After a few moments a couple of bubbles floated to the surface, as if something popped. Lapis used her power again to bring up the source of the air bubbles. When the water sphere emerged, all that remained of the violent gem was her gem.

Lapis looked over at the crystal gems, silently asking whether or not to destroy it. You'd think it be an easy call considering what she did, but Garnet merely shook her head. Rose and Steven had compassion for everything, even if they didn't deserve it. Lapis dropped the gem onto the beach and Pearl ran over to retrieve it. She grasped it in her shaky hand and gave it a very hard squeeze before sending it to the temple. …It was over. The threat was gone for good…for now.

_Grooowlll_ Lion's growling snapped the Gems out of their stupor when they saw him over by the near lifeless body.

"STEVEN!" they all shouted as they ran back over to him. How could they have forgotten about him, even for the precious seconds they were dealing with Jasper?

Lion was lying next to him, just like he did when he almost aged to death. They looked down and were mortified. Seeing the damage from afar is nothing like seeing up close. His body was all shades of black, purple and blue. The lower half of his right arm looked like it could detach any second. A sharp intake of air snapped all of them to full attention.

"P…pearl…G-garnet…Aaamethyst…L-lapis..." How he could even have the strength to say their names was beyond all comprehension.

Garnet knelt down, stroked his forehead and choked out, "Shhhh, save your strength. You're going to be alright." He reopened his good eye and observed all the tear stained faces around him. He showed a small smile of relief as he closed his eyes and relaxed into the soft sand.

"STEVEN!" shouted Pearl.

Garnet put her ear to his chest. After a few tense moments she said, "…He's alive, but he doesn't have much time…"

"What're we going to do?! We can't lose him!" cried Pearl.

"Well freaking out isn't going help anything!" shouted a very frustrated Amethyst.

"Not now you two!" shouted Garnet. Tensions were high. They couldn't waste any time bickering or worry whether or not he'll make it.

Lapis just stared at the boy trying to make sense of all of it. Even though Jasper hurt him, she realized the contradiction of her statement towards her. She nearly ended his life when all he was trying to do was save his home from her. And he still gave her what she thought she wanted. How could someone care so much about her? All she knew was solitude. A prisoner in the physical sense and in her own mind, believing deep in her heart that she was nothing.

"Steven…" she softly said as she touched his battered body. "I wish I could heal you…like you did for me."

All three of the gems looked at her. Then a light bulb immediately went off.

"Rose's spring!" exclaimed Garnet.

"But…his gem isn't broken, and he's organic…will it still work?" asked Pearl.

"We have to try!" replied Amethyst.

Lion took the initiative and opened another portal. He was about to grab Steven in his jaws until Pearl stopped him.

"Lion no! He can't be carried carelessly!" Lion growled at her almost as if he was saying "_No duh genius!"_

"I'll carry him" spoke Lapis. Everyone, especially Pearl, was uneasy about her declaration. But she didn't wait around for their permission. She gingerly picked him up and followed Lion through the warp hole with the rest of his family close behind.

"Steven…just hold on" she whispered as she floated though the ray of diamond light.

* * *

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	2. Chapter 2

The warp hole opened again, and they all skidded to a stop inside of Rose's sanctuary. But the jarring momentum caused Steven to softly scream in pain.

"Steven! We're sorry but you're going to be better soon! I promise!" said Pearl.

"Let's move" commanded Garnet.

Luckily the fountain wasn't covered with thick brambles like the last time they were here. They reached the fountain, but they couldn't just let him sink to the bottom. He couldn't breathe under water.

"We're going in with him. Lapis, you and Pearl hold him on one side. We'll hold him from the other side" said Garnet.

Lapis and Pearl looked at each other and at least for now they put their differences aside for Steven's sake. Everyone stepped into the fountain and carefully held Steven so that everywhere but his nose and mouth was submerged.

"Nothing's happening! What if-"

"Pearl I swear I'll knock you into next week if you don't shut up! We just started! In case you hadn't noticed, he's really jacked up!" replied Amethyst, cutting Pearl off mid-sentence.

**"Not. Now."** said Garnet and they immediately got the message.

A minute passed even though it felt like an hour. It baffled their minds…their injuries were healed the second they stepped into the lachrymal essence, but it wasn't having any effect on Steven's body. But they refused to give up, even if it meant standing in the pool for eternity.

"Take him out!" ordered Garnet but the others refused since his condition didn't change. Garnet repeated herself, this time with a little more force **"Take. Him. Out.** He's not breathing!"

"WHAT?!" The rest of the group immediately took notice and carefully took him out and laid him on the stone floor.

Garnet pressed her head to his chest again. She looked up at her fellow gems and shook her head.

That hit them heavier than any of Jasper's punches.

"No…no no no no NO!" Pearl was losing it again.

Amethyst went into complete shutdown mode; she cried silently as she knelt down next to her play buddy.

Rose's son, their last link to their loving leader, their little brother…was gone.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Pearl suddenly shouted at Lapis. "If you hadn't been captured, Steven wouldn't have to forfeit his life!"

Lapis was shocked by the enraged outburst, but she didn't back down. "My fault?! I tried to get away! I didn't ask him to do this! You're the ones who let him walk over to Jasper knowing what would happen!"

"ENOUGH" roared Garnet, but that just riled up Amethyst.

"Enough?! You're not the boss of us anymore! What kind of leader stops us from helping Steven while he's getting the crap beat outta him?!" she demanded.

Garnet was silent for a moment. She took off her cracked sunglasses and looked at them through puffy eyes.

"I saw it" she said with a broken voice.

"I saw all the different possibilities. Lapis binding Jasper in a fusion and dragging her down into the ocean. You two beaten by Jasper then having your gems crushed. Just to name a few. I knew Steven had a plan when he told Lion to move. I saw him activate his new power. I saw him save us…"

"Did you see him die?!" asked Amethyst.

"…Yes, there was that possibility"

"How could even allow him to do that if there was that chance?! Why didn't you tell us?" asked Pearl.

"It was a possibility; meaning it might not have happened. And what good would it have done if I had told you? If Jasper didn't see you two flail about, she would've suspected something and probably killed him right then and there. Being a leader means you have to make choices that you don't necessarily like, but if it's good for the group then it must be made" Garnet explained.

"So you chose to sacrifice him in order to save us?!" asked a livid Pearl.

"I didn't choose this, he did! If it were Rose she would've done the exact same thing!" she countered.

While it pained them to hear this, in end they knew she was right. In fact Rose put her life on the line on multiple occasions during the war, so it was natural that Steven followed her example without even knowing it. Everyone except Lapis walked up to the edge of the fountain and looked at the statue of Rose.

"I-I just don't understand…you left us to make him…you leave us alone without any idea on how to take care of him and look what happens! He's dead because in the end he's the one who took care of us! Why did you do this?! Did you feel that we needed to learn a lesson?! Why?!" Pearl rambled at the inanimate object. She was beyond irritation and it took every ounce of self-control to circumvent herself from blaming and cursing the very person she gave up her whole world for.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and one on her side. Garnet and Amethyst just looked at her with understanding. They've been through a lot together, and that was an understatement. But Steven reignited their spark and zeal for their lives as well as the lives of the inhabitants of Earth. They couldn't be mad at Rose or even Jasper. In the end, they were mad at the situation. Nearly six millennia of unfinished business was paid by someone who was completely innocent and unaware of it all.

Pearl looked at the flowing statue again, with the tears to match. "We're sorry…w-we tried…but we couldn't…" she couldn't even finish before the sobs wracked through her body again. Amethyst and Garnet embraced her. All of them needed support to handle this devastating loss.

Lapis went over towards Steven's body. Lion sat near his head and licked his hair, as if he was trying to stimulate him like a newborn kitten. She knelt down and cried into her hands, grieving for the loss alone.

Unbeknownst to all of them, a small flicker of light was burning inside his rose quartz gem.

* * *

**Is this a flicker of hope or just the waning moments before he passes on? Tune in to find out. I sound like a TV show, but I guess that's a good thing since so many of you like it so much! Thanks for all the support! I also tweaked a few things in the first chapter. Sorry if it was a little confusing.**

**And just so I don't get fined, I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**


	3. Chapter 3

"_Steven" _

…

"_Steven, my darling son. Please wake up" _

"Mmmmgh" The previously torpor hybrid awoke to someone calling his name. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe his surroundings. He was in a large see-through crystalline palace; outside he could see an immense field similar to the one in Lion's mane. Even though he could tell that the structure was as hard as a diamond, it surprisingly felt soft and squishy underneath his head.

"Whoa…what is this place? …Wait a minute! Where's is everyone?!" His thoughts were about to make him shoot up from his resting position until a pair of gentle hands stopped his ascent. "What the?" he questioned before a silhouette of thick curls obstructed his view of the crystal interior.

"It's alright my son, you're safe"

"That voice…it can't be!" he thought as his eyes focused on the figure above him. The being, as if she read his thoughts, scooped him up, held him up to her plump physique and cradled him. He slightly pushed away to get a better look, and what he saw confirmed his assumptions. Tears welled in his eyes as he silently exclaimed, "M-mom!"

The ethereal embodiment of motherly love had tears in her eyes as well. She smiled down at her beloved son and hugged him even tighter, pouring all of her affection she wished she could've given him all the time he was on Earth.

After what seemed like an eternity of embraces, kisses and giggles, Steven finally pulled away from his mother and asked, "Mom, what is this place? And how are you here? I thought you gave up your physical form to make me." He didn't want to ask these questions because he was afraid that this was all an illusion. But his curiosity got the better of him.

Rose merely smiled and stroked his hair as he sat in her lap. "Steven, we are inside your gem. And before you say anything, yes. This is **your** gem, my gift to you and there are no exchanges or returns."

Steven giggled at that and Rose continued her explanation, "While you were resting, I looked at your memories and I saw what happened to you…"

Steven felt hot tears land on top of his head.

"Steven…I am so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. On the one hand you cannot fathom how long I've wanted to see you, but at the same I didn't want to see you due to the conditions that had to take place. Do you remember when Pearl and Garnet retreated to their gems?"

Steven nodded and she continued, "Your life was in critical condition, not even my healing spring could help you because you are half human. This isn't your body that's here now, but your consciousness combined with your remaining life force. I knew one day that you might be severely hurt so before I gave up my physical form, I infused half of myself in your gem to help you recuperate whenever the time came."

"Just like you said in the video!" Steven realized.

"I'm glad your guardian showed you that" said Rose.

"Guardian? Are you talking about Lion?" She nodded her head. "Was he your pet?" he asked.

"No, I made him specifically for you. To help you on your journey."

"You created Lion?! How? Why?" he asked.

"I saw in your memories that you created a tiny floating whale in my room, correct?"

That's when it clicked inside Steven's head…almost. "But I thought things in your room turn back into clouds."

"Lion is special. I used some of my essence to create him. He has his own free will, but he always had the instinct to protect and provide you knowledge that only I could give when the time was right."

"But…why a lion?"

"I wanted to create a powerful protector with approachable fluffiness. And, I've sort of been partial to cats since Amethyst kept shapeshifting into one. Plus I don't think a dinosaur would fit in your room" Steven laughed at that.

Then the mood got somewhat melancholy again as Rose sighed.

She said, "I saw in your memories how Pearl reacted when she realized I kept something from her. I wish I could apologize to her, but she was my confidant and now she's not needed in that role anymore. Lion is your confidant and in essence replaced her. I couldn't bring myself to tell her that… but I see that she is flourishing and growing in her new role as your mentor. Garnet and Amethyst have grown as well and it's all thanks to you. You've brought out a different side of them that I could've never hope to achieve, even though we've been together for so long."

Then Steven realized something, "…You were their crutch…"

"And now you're helping them walk. Please, _please_ don't hold it against them if they seem cold to you at times because of my absence, they're still learning" she beseeched.

"I won't. I mean, I couldn't even if I wanted to. They're my family" he said.

Rose smiled and held him up to her chest again. She loosened her grip again because he was starting to squirm.

"Sorry" she said.

"No! It's ok. It's just…you've been hugging me all this time and I haven't given you one yet" he explained.

Stars appeared in her eyes and she laughed in their signature way. She released him and he stood up, wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into her luxurious curls.

While he would've loved to stay forever, he knew that he had to get back to the gems as quickly as possible. He pulled away from the embrace and asked, "How long will it take for me to recover?"

Rose showed a slight frown and Steven quickly backtracked. "Not that I don't want to be here with you! I mean this is awesome but I really want to let them know I'm ok. I'm sure they're worried about me, and I want to tell them about you!"

Rose sighed and said, "Steven…I'm not upset. I know you want to get better it's just that…I don't want you to."

"W-what?" asked Steven.

Rose's couldn't believe she just said that. "No! That's not what I meant! Of course I want you to get better…it's just that I don't want you to return to your body."

Steven was still thoroughly confused.

She in groaned in frustration at the confusion she created. "I wish I could put this into better words. Steven…please, _please_ understand. When I saw the condition you were in, it broke my heart to know that my actions, no matter how noble or contradicting they were, all those years ago did that to do. If I wasn't in your gem…you would've died. I know that humans believe in a place called heaven and I know that's where you'd be right now. And that's where I'd want you to be."

"What're are you saying?" he asked.

Rose realized her folly in trying to sugarcoat her true emotions and decided that being straightforward was the only course of action. "Steven…if you want, I can reincarnate myself and take over like I did before. But in order to do that…I'll need your gem…" Rose's voice shuddered as she made her offer.

Then it finally clicked in Steven's head as he asked, "…Are you asking me to die?"

She was at the point of no return. "_Have to be straightforward"_, she reminded herself.

"Yes" she answered.

* * *

**With Rose's mind clouded by her motherly instinct to protect her son, what will happen? Will Steven give up his life so the gems will have more experience against the Home World threat? Stay tuned. And thanks again for all the views and support, you guys rock!**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	4. Chapter 4

Steven was dumbfounded. Here he was with his mother, the moment he dreamed of for so long, and she wants him to give up his young life?

"I-I don't understand…I thought you loved me…" he quietly said.

She grabbed him in another hug and insisted "Steven, of course I love you! Don't you ever doubt that!"

"Then why?"

"Because I don't want you to experience a gem war!" The crystal palace echoed her fears; even the grass outside stop swaying.

"Steven…I think it's better if I show you a glimpse of what I went through…things I would never wish on anybody…" Rose held her hand up and suddenly the crystal walls glowed.

* * *

"**_AAAAARGH!"_**

A blood curdling scream erupted from one of the incandescent panels; it startled Steven and caused him to jump a little bit. The intensity of the light faded away and it revealed a battlefield with floating rocks. Steven immediately recognized it at the strawberry field, only instead of numerous crimson berry patches, there was a smoky haze and the ground was littered with broken weapons and whole gems.

In the panel, the point of view was shifting rather quickly, as if they were seeing it through someone's eyes.

That's when it dawned on him. He was watching this through his _mother's eyes. _

Then a battle yell reverberated throughout the palace as the view shifted to an unknown figure commanding a large number of gem warriors to charge. Steven had never seen so many different types of gems before. But… something was off about these gems. Sure they were following the figure's orders, but they looked so…scared. He couldn't tell if they were scared of the fact that they were in a war or scared of the unknown commanding figure.

Suddenly past Rose cast a giant shield to stop the oncoming onslaught. "Gather as many of our comrades as you can and fall back!" past Rose ordered. Then he saw gems that were a part of his mother's army pick up a plethora of scattered gems and gem shards. He even saw Pearl in the midst of all the calamity. The shield was starting to falter as the enemy forces kept pounding on it.

* * *

Before they could penetrate the shield, the scene shifted into another memory. But this time it was just past Rose fighting against a gem monster. "Topaz…please. It's me, Rose. It's going to be okay. I can help you." The topaz colored zebra with jagged spikes, scorpion armor and a snake for a tail just growled and hissed. Then it charged right at her; its hooves thundered across the rocky landscape. The signature pink sword was drawn and the perspective rushed toward the corrupted gem. A powerful swing of the blade was all it took to halt the out of control monster. The panel started to get blurry, and Steven realized that past Rose was crying.

* * *

Then the scene shifted again and this time, past Rose pointed her sword right at the head of a spiky haired, yellow colored gem.

"Yield" she coldly commanded. Steven never heard his mother sound so…absolute before. Granted, he only heard his mother's voice once (technically twice, but he doesn't know that his mother's spirit was in the tiny floating whale), but it was still scary to hear.

The yellow gem seethed, "…Never. Even if I fall, we'll be back. I've already corrupted some of your comrades, so you'll be hunted till the end of time! Mark my words you tra-" She was cut off, literally, by a single sword stab and she disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

The point of view shifted to look at the remaining gems of the opposition. "Unless you want to join her, you will surrender now! Go back to Home World and tell the diamonds to **never** return here again!" she commanded.

Without giving it a second thought the enemy forces dropped their weapons and fled to the nearest warp pad.

Past Rose picked up the yellow gem and whispered, "Maybe one day…you'll see what I saw" With that she bubbled the gem and along with Garnet and Pearl followed the invading forces to see to it that they left and never came back to hurt this beautiful planet. Soon the panels stop glowing.

* * *

Steven looked up at his mother and her expression shocked him. She looked so…tired. Like mentally exhausted.

"Mom?" he questioned.

Rose sighed and cradled him as she said, "Steven, going against my home world was the hardest thing I've ever done. There were many times that I cried myself to the point of exhaustion because I kept thinking about how I had to slay my corrupted comrades. The guilt was just…overwhelming. To know that some gems chose to believe in my cause and that I couldn't save them from being destroyed was a heavy yoke to bear."

Steven put his hand on her cheek to wipe off the tear stains.

She smiled at him and said, "But it was worth it. And thanks to your father, I've developed a greater love for this planet and its inhabitants. I'll be honest, when I first saw humans and even the years after meeting them I thought they were simple, fragile beings. But your father showed me otherwise. He showed me that while they may be less advanced than home world, their love, compassion and determination to make the best out of any situation shows their complexity. They may have their differences and will battle based on disagreements, but it's because of that that it gives humans their individuality. Other gems see them as flaws, but humans see themselves with unique qualities given specifically to them. Because in the end, everyone is different. If everyone was the same, it'd be a boring life devoid of any love or creativity."

"Just like dad says! If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs"

"Mhm hm" she responded. "I guess in a sense…I'm a hot dog too."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"…Steven, while there are different gems on home world, there is no individuality because they're already have their assigned sect. For example, all Rubies on home world are made to be laborers. And if one of them strives to be something else, they consider it a defect and are immediately "re-educated". It's all a part of the "perfect piece for everything" mindset set by my kin" she explained.

"Kin? I have gem relatives?" asked Steven.

"Yes, but I've detached myself from them due to my "defective mindset". You see, my real name is **Rose Diamond**. The diamonds are the rulers of home world. Yellow, Blue, Silver and myself upheld the rules set forth by our original creator, Black Diamond. We created it so there would be no potential, no growth so that way no one could topple us and break a system that kept everything…perfect."

"So wait…that means…"

"If you were living on home world, you would be a **king**" she finished.

"Whoaaa…but wait. So what happened to make you change your ways? I mean didn't you know what you guys were doing was wrong?"

"Not in the beginning, no. We were so blinded by the perfectionist ideal that we didn't realize we were actually crippling our society. It wasn't until I came to Earth to oversee the kindergarten that I saw the error of our ways. I saw a human tribe and observed both sexes take on dual roles. It was obvious that the men were built and specialized to be hunters, but some of them were more adapt to caring for their young or making clothes. Same thing with the women; some wanted to explore the outside world and became excellent trackers. And no one hindered them. In fact, it was celebrated! That's when I realized that the only true of perfectionism is self-love in the positive way. Perceptions of perfection will change on a dime, but love is constant. So long as you love yourself and strive to make a better you no matter what you choose, that's all that matters."

"I tried to share this with my kin, but they brushed it off. They didn't re-educate me because it would look bad upon our clan if such a high ranking official was considered a defect. That's when I changed my name from Diamond to Quartz because I didn't want to be seen as a shackle of their potential. I didn't want this planet to die and you know the rest" she finished.

Steven nodded his head in agreement and let all of the info sink in.

"So…why do you want me to die?" He had a good idea why, but he wanted to hear it straight from her mouth.

She sighed and said, "I don't want you a part of that chaos. I don't want you to have to deal with traumatic moments for the rest of your life. I don't want you to make those tough decisions if it came down to it. You're still a child discovering your potential and have eyes filled with wonder and excitement. I would rather have you be in heaven's paradise than deal with this oncoming threat."

Yep, that's what he figured. She laid her fears out and Steven responded by singing his signature song,

"_If you're evil and you're on the rise_

_You can count on the four of us taking you down_

_Cause we're good and evil never beats us_

_We'll win the fight then we'll go out for pizzas_

_We. Are the Crystal Gems_

_We'll always save the day_

_And if you think we can't_

_We'll always find a way_

_That's why the people of this world_

_Believe in_

_Garnet_

_Amethyst_

_And Pearl_

_And Steven!"_

Rose just stared at her son as he continued, "Mom. You said in your video to take of them and I'm gonna keep on doing that. Doesn't matter if a billion gems come after me, I'll continue to take care of them because that's just what a family do. Plus, focusing and worrying about the future gives you nothing but headaches. Believe me I know - especially after freaking out when Garnet told me about her future vision. Then she told me I have the power to choose what becomes reality. So I choose to get better and take things one day at a time. One bad day isn't going to erase all the good days I've had. Plus this is my destiny, I won't be ready to go until I know that my job is done…whatever it may be."

Her eyes got starry eyed at this revelation, and like that most of her fears dissipated. She would still worry about his safety, that's just what a mother does. But she realized that she asked him to end life without realizing his full potential just to keep him, in her mind, safe.

She became a shackle.

She hugged him again and apologized profusely for even throwing that suggestion out there.

"It's okay, I'm used to almost dying so it's no biggie" he nonchalantly said.

Rose didn't like the sound of that, but didn't vocalize it. "You've become a loving and wise young man" she said.

"Well…I am a king" he replied acting all smug.

"But you're still my little prince" she countered by bopping him on the nose with her index finger. He giggled at that and suddenly a pink glow surrounded him.

"Looks like you're all better. Both of us are."

"But how'd you heal me?"

"Love" she responded and Steven understood.

"But remember, while this energy will heal your injuries your body will still be a bit tender, so you'll need to rest. Also, **don't** tell the others about me. I want them to continue to see Steven, not Rose's gem." He understood and gave his mom one last hug before he felt himself beginning to disappear.

"I love you mom" he said.

"I love you too. I'm so proud of you" she replied.

He showed his trademark smile before fading away completely. Left alone in the crystal castle, she vowed to never let her mind be troubled with uncertainties ever again.

"Steven…I believe in you."

* * *

**C'mon, you didn't really think I'd let him die. Now that's he's all better, more or less, how will the gems react? More importantly how will Greg react when he finds out what happened to him? Stay tuned to find out.**

** I tweaked chapter 3 a little, just had a bit I forgot to put in.**

**And I found some interesting theories about the diamonds on tumblr so I decided to incorporate some of them. I wish I had the links... **

**Also, it warms my heart to know that I'm becoming a better writer. Thank you guys so much I really appreciate it. Updates will take place every 3-4 days, depending on work and school. It's pretty mellow now so...you just never know:)**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, here's a challenge for you guys. I want you to listen to Boyz to Men "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" when reading the first part of this chapter and see if you can't cry. I didn't pass...I had no idea I could fit so many feels.**

* * *

The serene atmosphere of Rose's sacred sanctuary was overwhelmed by the permeating sadness of the heavy-hearted gems. The crystal gems remained huddled together whereas Lapis stayed by Steven's side. The tears had stopped flowing from their ocular projections; Lion had ceased his licking and chose to lay by his lifeless confidant with one paw on top of his belly.

Garnet was the first to get up and she walked over to where the fallen young gem was. Lapis didn't even acknowledge her presence; her head remained on top of her pulled up knees.

She took off her broken shades, looked down and in the strongest voice she could muster said, "Steven…thank you. I just wish…it could've been different…" and she silently broke down again, holding Ruby's gem embedded hand up to her eyes. Even in this moment she didn't want to be perceived as weak.

She didn't even notice Pearl and Amethyst come up to her. Like a little child, Amethyst tugged on her other hand to get her attention. "W-What do we do now?" she timidly asked. Pearl looked to her for an answer as well.

Garnet materialized a new set of sunglasses and took a shuddering deep breath. It was odd since she didn't need to breathe, but it helped compose herself. "We continue to protect Earth. We can't let his sacrifice be in vain. He would've been – no he WAS a fantastic crystal gem. And an even better person. I never realized how much he helped us…_helped me_. I can't believe for even a second that I blamed him for Rose's departure when he was born."

Pearl looked away when she said that. It wasn't all that long ago she had the exact same thoughts and now it filled her with so much shame that a new stream of tears made their way down her cheeks.

"C'mon…we have to give him a proper burial" she reluctantly said.

Pearl fell to her knees and started breathing erratically. "I CAN'T!" she shouted.

Amethyst was uncomfortable about the prospect of putting her best friend in a hole…brought up bad memories. But she kept it together.

She put a hand on her back and said, "P, we have to…for Steven…" Seeing that she was still unhinged, Amethyst hugged her from behind and held her until she calmed down.

Lapis didn't stir at all. She was numb to everything going on around her.

Garnet knelt down at Steven's body and just as she was about to move Lion's paw off of him in order to pick him up, he suddenly growled at her.

"Lion, please…" she whispered. She understood his pain, but this wasn't helping. But he wouldn't concede. Instead he got up and stood over Steven's body, growling louder. Lapis finally stirred and moved back once she saw that his eyes were ablaze.

"Lion. Move" Garnet ordered but he wouldn't budge.

"What wrong with him?" asked Pearl.

"He's hurting and he's lashing out. He doesn't want us to move him" explained Garnet.

"Lion! Let him go!" demanded Pearl; she was also subconsciously telling herself to do the same thing.

Pearl and Lion's relationship was already on thin ice as it was, so having her yell at him just ticked him off. He unleashed a less intense supersonic roar, just enough to push everyone back. Then he roared again, regularly this time, as if he was saying "_Back off!" _

"What do we do?! We can't hurt him!" said Amethyst.

Garnet was about to focus on her future vision to scope out possible scenarios when something unusual began to occur. Steven's body started glowing!

"What's he doing to him?!" asked a frantic Pearl.

Lion moved out of the way and gave a low roar as if he was saying, "_Watch". _

Steven's body was enveloped in what looked like a rose bud. The bruises on his body faded. The gems cringed when they heard the bone in his arm snap back into place. The rose bud split into petals and revealed him fully healed.

"STEVEN!" they all shouted and ran to him; Lion backed up to give them room. They all knelt around him and watched his chest rise and fall with his steady breathing, a sure sign he was alive.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw his friends' faces with apprehension written all over their faces. He smiled and softly said, "Hey guys."

"OH STEVEN!" shouted Pearl with joy.

Amethyst just laughed while wiping tears out of her eyes. "Don't…scare us like that little man" she said, relief clearly evident in her tone.

Garnet smiled down at him and stroked his hair. Lapis cried tears of joy; her best friend and savior was alive!

Pearl and Amethyst were about to hug him until Lion's roar made them flinch.

"What now?" asked an exasperated Pearl. Lion merely walked over near the top of his head and licked it.

"Aw, he wanted to give Steven love first" cooed Amethyst. Pearl merely huffed.

"It's not just that…" Steven responded and they gave him his full attention. "My body…it still hurts even though I'm healed…"

Lapis gasped, "Your lion stopped us from hurting you…" she realized. "…_further" _she thought.

He tried to lift his arms so he could touch everyone, but his body felt like he had worked out for two hundred hours. Garnet saw this and said, "Don't try and move…save your strength."

He relaxed and closed his eyes. For a moment the gems feared that he would relapse and die again, but his voice banished those thoughts when he said, "I'm sorry…for making you worry and for not telling you my plan."

"Steven, we're the ones who should be apologizing, not you. We're the ones who are responsible for your safety and we failed you. What kind of team are we to let a twelve year old boy protect us?" Garnet said with clenched fists.

He opened his eyes again and said, "We're not just a team…we're a family. And that's what families do, we look out for each other…right?" Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet smiled and nodded in agreement.

He turned his head to look over Lapis with starry eyes. She immediately got the message and chuckled in agreement. _"A family…someone who actually cares about me…"_ she thought.

"And don't be mad…at Jasper…or Peridot. They were just following orders and they've never experienced the kind of love we have. That's why…she beat me up so much. She didn't understand why I wanted to protect you guys and that made her mad. But maybe…we can teach other gems about love so they can feel better too" he said.

They were astounded. This child did not have a single mean bone in his body.

"Your mother would be so proud of you…" Pearl commented.

He smiled and said, "I know."

A low rumble traversed through Lion as he nuzzled against his head. "Thanks buddy. I'm glad we were on the same page back there. See Pearl, I told you we've been making progress." They all laughed.

"C'mon, let's get you home so you can rest" said Garnet and proceeded to pick him up.

"And let's take the warp pad this time…no offense." Pearl said and Lion just huffed in annoyance.

Garnet cradled the boy to her chest and he sleepily mumbled, "…can't wait til my birthday…" She smiled and the four of them proceeded to walk back to the warp pad.

"Wait" he said and the group stopped.

"Lapis" he called out.

Garnet turned around and saw the blue gem with her head down, nervously wringing the front of her dress.

"Lapis" he said, louder this time and she looked up. "Come with us. You can stay in my room if you want."

Lapis and the crystal gems looked at each other. A single day couldn't undo all the pain and suffering she went through by their hands, but what other choice did she have? Home world wasn't the same anymore and she didn't want to wander endlessly through space. She finally had a place where she belonged, even if was the one of most detestable places she ever set her foot on. She had Steven, and she would stay with him and maybe even experience more of this "love" he was talking about.

She stood up and walked over to where they were. Steven smiled and she returned the gesture with a small smile of her own. Garnet shifted Steven so she could hold him comfortably with one arm and extended her hand out to her.

Lapis eyed it warily, but Garnet broke the tension and said, "I know we don't see eye to eye, but I want to say thank you for your help."

Hesitantly Lapis took the offered hand and shook it. With that the pact was sealed.

They may never be any camaraderie, but at least they had one thing in common – they follow who they believe in. Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet believed in Rose and Lapis believed in Steven. And hopefully that belief will be the foundation of an unbreakable bond between them.

* * *

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	6. Chapter 6

"STEVEN! STEVEN! C'mon buddy where are you?!" yelled a desperate father.

The former one band rock dad was scouring the beach looking for any signs of his son and the crystal gems. He came back to Beach City once he saw the colossal hand-shaped space ship crash into the side of the hill that housed the gem's temple.

He was running around like his life depended on it, but all those decades of inactivity were taking a toll on his body. "**huff** *huff** I swear… I'm going to work out…after this is all over…" he wheezed.

He looked on top of the hill and now looked under every piece of alien tech throwing all caution to wind about whether or not it would explode.

"STEVEN!" he rasped. His hope was fading fast. He wiped the sweat beads that were forming on the bald part of his head. "Darn it! I should've never let him go back! What was I thinking?!"

His thoughts were interrupted when the tide brushed against his feet. Then he had a sickening realization. "The ocean! No no no! He promised me he'd be ok! Rose…please let our son be ok…I can't lose another family member…"

As if it were an answer to his prayers, he heard the familiar sound of the warp pad activating. He turned around and saw the beach house illuminated with a bright crystal light. Willing his sore legs to move, he ran as fast as he could up to that house, hoping against all odds that his little boy was alright. He burst through the screen door, but had to brace himself against the door frame so he could catch his breath.

Once he got enough oxygen in his lungs he opened his eyes to see four surprised gems and Lion asleep on the couch. "W-where's…" and his eyes immediately tuned into Garnet when he saw who she was carrying.

But he wasn't moving.

Tears began to well up in his eyes, "No…"

"Greg wait! He's ok, he's just asleep" explained Pearl.

Man, Greg had never been so relieved in his life, and that's saying something considering how many heart stopping moments this kid has put him through. "What happened?!" he yelled.

"Shhh!" they said in unison.

"We'll talk outside" said Garnet and proceeded to walk up to Steven's room.

She gently laid the boy on the soft mattress and tucked him in. She smiled and gave him a light kiss on his forehead. Just by looking at him you would've never imagined that he almost died. She motioned for everyone to go outside and they followed suit.

They went downstairs and sat on the grassy knoll just below the house so Steven wouldn't hear them. Once they were in the clear Greg reiterated his previous question, "What happened?! And what's she doing here?!" pointing at Lapis.

"She's with us now" Garnet stated.

"Are you kidding me?! She almost drowned Steven and Connie, broke my leg and smashed my van!" he retorted.

Having her transgressions listed out like that filled her with shame, but she defended herself. "I know I've done some terrible things and can't undo the wrongs I've done, but I'm going to atone for it by protecting Steven and his home. He forgave me and believes in me and I won't ever betray that trust. If it wasn't for him…I wouldn't even be here right now."

Greg took a moment to let what she said sink in. She seemed genuinely sorry and he already knew how much Steven defended her. Well…he was none worse for the wear and he got his music spark back thanks to her. Plus she did go through a lot of trouble to warn them about the invasion. He went over to her and held out his hand. "I'll hold you to that" he said. Lapis nodded and shook his hand.

"But what did you mean that you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him?" he questioned.

That's when the lengthy explanation began. Garnet went over how Jasper defeated them the first go around, how and why they were imprisoned, how Steven was immune to their gem technology and freed them from their prison cells, how she beat Jasper the second time around, how Peridot escaped, and how Steven died saving them.

If all of Greg's expressions during the explanation were on a film strip, it could've easily been over five feet long. He didn't know what to make of all of this. "So those gems thought he was Rose? And they wanted him to pay for being a traitor? That's why they took him?"

Garnet nodded her head.

"Will more home world gems come after him?!" he asked.

"We don't know" Garnet answered.

He had to sit down; this was all too much. He knew gem stuff was dangerous; he saw it first hand when he went on that mission to bring the ocean back. But hearing that his son was abused to the point of death, and now possibly forever persecuted for something he didn't even do?! He needed his relaxation cd now!

Amethyst sat down next to him and said, "Hey Greg, cheer up. We won!"

It was very rare that Greg ever got mad, but Amethyst realized her mistake when he glared at them. "Are you serious?! Do you think this is some kind of joke?! My son died! He can't regenerate like you guys! Thank God he retreated into his gem when he did! What kind of guardians are you to allow my son to face that demon of a gem on his own?! Why didn't you form into Alexandrite or something and take her on?! And you!" He turned to Lapis, the next victim of his outrage. "You can control the whole got dang ocean! You could've trapped the whole ship underwater and none of this would've happened!"

They had no response. He was right. There were many options they could've utilized that would've kept him, the planet and themselves safe.

"Greg… please" Pearl attempted to calm him down but it fell on deaf ears.

"DON'T YOU START WITH ME! You three, especially you Pearl, have blamed me for Rose giving up her physical form **even though she said that it was worth it to create an extraordinary being!** I entrusted you guys with his care because of all this magic stuff, and this is what happens?! Now I'm holding you accountable for him almost losing his life!" he shouted.

They were frozen; they weren't sure how much more of his verbal onslaught they could take. Because everything he said was true and it stung like a million little cactus needles.

Garnet attempted to do damage control, "Greg…your anger is justified. We've failed you just like we failed Rose. We should've never allowed fear to cripple our minds like that. And the roles shouldn't have been reversed to where Steven was the adult and we were the children. I know that it'll take some time for us to earn your trust-"

"There's nothing to earn" he coldly said. "As soon as Steven wakes up, I'm taking him with me."

"What?! You can't be serious! What about teaching him about his gem?" asked Pearl.

"He seems to be doing fine on his own. He told me how he first activated his bubble shield. It was when he saved Connie. He discovered his healing spit with Connie. He discovered his plant growing power and how to use his mom's cannon when he was with me! It seems that interacting with humans has done a lot for his power development than you guys ever had!" he countered.

"That not true!" interjected Amethyst.

"Cat fingers" he said and she immediately backed off.

"I was already uncomfortable with him going on missions, now no more. I will not allow my son to continue to be around you guys. My decision is final."

* * *

**Oh man, Greg is NOT happy. Will he succeed in keeping his son away from the Crystal Gems? Stay tuned to find out.**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	7. Chapter 7

The beach house was deaf to the anxiety filled yells right below it. Well…deaf to all but one inhabitant. Lion stirred from his slumber when he heard the ruckus going on outside.

In the vocal battle Greg was leading one to none, and the gems were struggling to form a decent defense.

He huffed in annoyance; he was exhausted and already had his fill of screaming for one day. "_What're they going on about now? Steven's okay so what the problem is?" _he thought. He knew he would win the argument because he had the loudest voice. The only setback was that he couldn't speak their language.

"L…Lion"

The furry being heard his master's strained voice. He leapt up to the bedroom and saw the most inspirational thing. Steven, as weak as he was, was sitting up on his bed using every ounce of energy to stay upright. Lion gently nudged him with his muzzle to get him to lay back down, but he stopped him.

"Lion…I can hear them…Please…help me down…"

Lion was surprised. He thought he was knocked out, but then again that's just like him…whenever there's a fight he wants to stop it. But he knew that Steven needed rest and even if he were to ride on his back, the jarring motion would probably cause more pain to his already fragile body. He didn't want to, but he had to use force. Carefully, he used his paw to push him back down on the bed.

He groaned in pain. In tears, he begged, "Lion…I know they're talking about me…worried about me…I have to let…them know I'm going to be okay."

Something in Steven's words trigged some untapped powers within the cotton candy king. His eyes began glowing, but this time it was a shade of gold.

"Lion? Are you okay?" questioned Steven.

He didn't get any vocal response. Instead Lion climbed up on the bed and touched his forehead with Steven's. Immediately, Steven was out like a light. After a few moments, the golden glow from Lion's eyes faded. He had to blink a few time so his pupils could adjust.

"Whoa…wait what?!"

Lion was shocked at his newly found vocal ability. But it wasn't Lion per se, it was Steven's voice. Lion/Steven looked at his body on the bed. Needless to say he was thoroughly confused. "Wait, I'm talking but my body's not moving? What's going on?!"

"_You're inside of me"_ a second voice answered.

"What? Wait…Lion!? Is that you?! What happened?!" Steven asked.

"_A new power. I was able transfer your conscious into my mind. Now we both share my body" _he explained.

"This is just like how I went into my gem and saw mom! Wait…I mean" Steven realized his mistake, he was supposed to keep that information secret.

"_It's alright Steven. I already know. After all, Rose created me." _

"Oh, right. So how are you able to do…this?" Steven asked.

"_Your mother designed it that when we met each other, a mental link would be established. Of course you didn't know anything about it, but whenever you needed help your mind would subconsciously summon me. Like it did when you wanted to return to Beach City to protect your friends" Lion explained. _

"Okay…but what about my body?" he asked.

"_Your gem will sustain your physical form, just like how the crystal gem's gems provide the energy for their bodies." _

"…you really need to tell me all of these things you can do" he replied.

"_Kinda hard to do that when I can't talk like you. But you seem to understand me anyway. Plus, isn't this better? It's like when you play on your electronic devices and you get excited when you solve a mystery." _

"That's true, but a couple hints wouldn't hurt" he said.

"_Another time, for now let's focus on stopping the fight." _

"You're right, let's go!"

* * *

Lion/Steven hopped down to the lower level of the house and bust through the screen door. Now that they were outside, the volume of the yelling match intensified. But it was mainly Greg's and Pearl's voices.

"You have no right to keep him from us! He needs us!" exclaimed Pearl.

"I'm his father! I have every right over him if it means keeping him safe! I realize now that I used poor judgement in thinking you guys were capable of taking care of him, but it sounds like you need him more than he needs you!" Greg retorted.

"Why you…! We do keep him safe!" she shouted.

"Like the time you were about to take him up to space for fifty years and almost having him blow up in that spaceship?!" he countered. Pearl faltered.

That's the thing about fights, you pick a weak spot and you keep on jabbing at it. And in this instance, Greg was an expert at it. That's when Steven/Lion intervened.

"STOP IT!" he roared and bounded down right in the middle of the group.

"L-lion?!" stammered Pearl. "Lion can talk?! Since when could he talk?!" Pearl's state of mind was already frazzled after all the day's events. Garnet and Amethyst were more surprised that she didn't faint more so than Lion being able to talk.

"No no! This isn't Lion talking…well I mean technically his lips are moving, but I'm in control of them. Gah! That was confusing! It's me, STEVEN! I'm inside Lion's head!"

Once the initial shock wore off, Lapis recognized the young gem's voice. "Steven? How did you get in there? …Oh no. Did something happen to your body?!" she asked.

"No no, my body's okay! I heard yelling and I wanted to come down and stop it, but I couldn't because my body is still weak. That's when Lion unlocked a new power and transferred my mind into his body. My body is fine; my gem is taking care of it" he explained.

After the explanation Garnet said, "…You never cease to amaze me. Steven, we're sorry about all this. We didn't want you to worry…"

"Well, too late for that. I hate it when you guys fight! What are you guys even yelling about?" he demanded.

No one said a word. They felt as though they just got caught doing something wrong.

Lion growled in frustration and took over speaking. "_Oh C'MON! You guys woke us up with your pointless bickering and now you don't want to talk?!" _

"It wasn't pointless…" said Greg.

Lion/Steven looked at him as he continued, "Steven, I don't want you around the crystal gems anymore."

Steven was stunned. "Why?"

"Because you almost died because of them! I mean, who in their right mind would let child face off against that monster Jasper?"

"…The same person with the right mind to let me go back to them in the first place…" he replied.

Greg didn't have a comeback. He realized he was just at fault for his son's death as they were.

"Guys…I know you're worried about me. I know you're scared and confused about everything…but we have to stay strong and **stay together**. Dad, you let me go back because you knew I could help them survive. They even told me to go back when the ship landed, but I wouldn't listen. Even before I offered myself to Jasper for Lapis, Amethyst was shielding me. Then afterward, even though I couldn't see them, I could hear her and Pearl fighting to get to me."

"Yeah, and Garnet held them back!" he retorted.

"Because I was the only option that would work" Lion/Steven countered.

"What about fusing into Alexandrite?!" he inquired.

"Dad, fusing is hard. Everyone has to be on the same page and not only that, the dance itself takes a while. You know that from watching them get ready for dinner with Connie's parents. Jasper wouldn't just sit back and wait around for them to get stronger" the combined duo remarked.

"Well what about her controlling the water?!" he asked pointing to Lapis.

"Her mind was imprisoned." Lion/Steven stated.

Lapis was shocked when he said that.

"What I meant was that her will to fight against them was broken. For a long time she was a prisoner, then when she's freed and gets home, she becomes shackled again. That broke her spirit and just that alone will render her, or anyone else's, powers useless. She even told me not to go against Jasper and Peridot because she didn't want me to end up the same way" he clarified.

Lion/Steven turned to the teary eyed Lapis when he heard her cry. "I'm sorry Lapis. I didn't mean to make you upset."

Wiping the tears from her eyes she said, "It's not that. Everything you said was true. If hadn't been so paralyzed with fear…"

"There's no need to fear now" Lion/ Steven said.

"What?! Steven, more home world gems could come after you!" said Greg.

"I don't care" he responded with authority. "The reason I did all those things was because I wanted to protect my family and our home. That's exactly what Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst were going to do, protect the Earth and everyone on it, including you."

Greg looked at them and guilt started to creep into his mind.

The Lion/Steven stomped his right front paw on the grassy tundra and declared, "What we have right here…is made out of love! There may have been some bumps along on the way, but we learned from those lessons and grew better together. And I'm **not** going to let one bad time erase all the good times we've had together and the many more we'll have later. Dad, we can still make music together. Amethyst, you can still be play buddy. Pearl, you can still teach me how to be strong in the real way. Garnet, one day I'll be a leader just like you so please continue to mentor me. And Lapis, we'll help each other."

Everyone was speechless and impressed at his maturity, but Greg was still adamant. "But, this isn't fair! None of these bad things should be happening to you!"

"Who said life was fair?" Lion/Steven responded.

**True that.**

* * *

"Look, bad things happen to good people. But just because it happens doesn't mean we can't be victorious in those circumstances. I just finished this story Connie gave me about a cowboy named Little Robbie. He worked on a cattle ranch with his dad and seven older brothers. But his siblings didn't like him very much because he was his dad's favorite, even though he was so…strange by cowboy standards. He wasn't physically strong or gruff. Instead he relied on his intelligence and was always positive. One night he had a dream where his brothers would treat him with the highest respect. Needless to say when Robbie told them that, they didn't like it. Because of their jealously, they tricked him and sold him to bandits. Even when he was held captive, he never gave up hope that everything would turn out okay.

"One day the bandits dropped him off in the middle of the nowhere. So he traveled for days and came across this town called Rainbow Cliffs and got a job at a local saloon. Soon he became the co-owner because of his hard work and out of the box ideas. That is until the saloon owner's wife got jealous of Little Robbie's promotion and accused him of stealing, even though he was innocent, and was thrown in jail. That's when he started to doubt. _"Why is all this stuff happening to me?"_ he asked himself. But then he remembered what his dad told him, _"Words make us what we are. If we say bad things are going to happen and believe it, then they'll happen. Same thing with sayin' good things. So I don't wanna see no stinkin' thinkin'!"_ He quickly banished those negative thoughts and started saying and believing that everything would be alright. And it was! The warden saw how the inmates respected Robbie and how he kept things in order when he wasn't around. So he decided to release him and make him co-warden."

"Then one day at the town meeting, the local meteorologist predicted that in three years, a dust storm would hit Rainbow Cliffs and the surrounding areas and cause a severe famine. And he was never wrong. This worried the mayor and all the townspeople. But the warden suggested that Little Robbie could have an idea to help them get through this since he was so innovative. So they brought him in and he suggested that since the years prior to the storm will yield abundant harvests, why not save a little bit each time? That way we'll have more than enough to get by. Everyone loved the plan and the mayor made him vice-mayor of Rainbow Cliffs and put in him charge of the operation."

"People came from all over the countryside to buy food from Little Robbie. Some of those people were his dad and his brothers. When they came Robbie recognized them, but they didn't know who he was. A lot changes in ten years (even grew a sweet mustache). They all treated him with reverence because he was an important person. Just like he dreamed they would. After a while he couldn't hide it anymore and said, "It's me, Little Robbie!" His dad was ecstatic because his brothers told him he was killed by bandits. But his brothers couldn't even speak because they were afraid he'd get revenge for what they've done to him. But he said, "Don't worry, and don't beat yourselves up for what you did. The most important thing is that I'm able to help people, including you guys." So they reconciled and moved to Rainbow Cliffs to start a better relationship."

* * *

Everyone absorbed the story that was spoken to them.

"So even though all that bad stuff happened to Robbie, he was still okay in the end, and even helped out his enemies because he never gave in to stinkin' thinkin'. Same thing with us. I know that first war bad, but some good things came out it. Earth was saved, you guys found Amethyst and saved her from that place, mom met dad, I have a great family and Lapis is my full-time fun buddy, not just summer time" Lion/Steven finished.

They all nodded in agreement; they couldn't deny the fact that Steven has brought a new spark into their lives.

But Greg still wouldn't relent, "But…but"

That's when Lion/Steven pulled him close and whispered something into his ear.

When he was done, Greg collapsed to the ground and sobbed uncontrollably. Lion/Steven merely held him as he said "I'm sorry" over and over.

Feeling compelled to do something, the gems went over and embraced them as well. After a few minutes, everyone released themselves from the hug.

Greg stood up, wiped the tears out of his eyes and the dirt off his body and said, "Steven, I-I'm sorry. Please forgive your old man for being a scared idiot!"

"There's nothing to forgive. You were just mad at the situation. I love you dad." With that they embraced again.

Then he looked over to the crystal gems and said, "Guys, I'm sorry…for the things I said. I was way out of line. I know you always protect him and-"

"Greg" Garnet interrupted. "We understand. Like I said, your anger is justifiable."

"But I shouldn't have condemned you. Anger is a neutral emotion, and instead of using it as motivation to help with this problem, I had a temper tantrum…just like a little kid."

"Regardless, everything you said was true. And I can promise you this, all of us will make sure that nothing like this **never** happens again" assured Garnet.

"You got that right!" exclaimed Amethyst. Greg nodded his head.

Then Lion/Steven held his paw straight out. The gems didn't know what he was up to, but Greg did. He put his hand on top and motioned for the rest of them to follow suit.

"Alright on three we throw our hands to the air, like a windmill! Ready? 1…2…3!" They did as they were told, although Garnet, Pearl and Lapis did it in a jerkier motion.

"FAMILY FOREVER!" he roared, which turned into yawn. Everyone smiled.

"Heh, alright buddy. I think you've done enough for one day. Let's get you to bed." Greg said and Lion/Steven sleepily nodded in agreement. They all walked back inside the beach house and Lion's eyes started to glow gold again. He connected with Steven's forehead and after a few moments, he opened his own eyes.

"Oh, thank goodness" said Pearl and Lion frowned.

"_One day, I'm going to set her straight"_ he thought and leaped back down onto his cushy bed.

Greg went over to embrace his son, but frowned. "You guys put him in bed when he's still wet?"

The gems looked down and Amethyst said "Sorry"

Steven looked at his dad, and he sighed. "It's okay, honest mistake. C'mon bud let's change you outta those clothes." Steven nodded and closed his eyes again.

Pearl looked through his wardrobe and found his pjs and a clean pair of underwear while Greg and Garnet carefully took off his clothes.

Lapis and Amethyst watched from afar, neither of them trusting themselves to touch his fragile body.

Garnet tossed Amethyst his damp clothes, but she missed his pants. They clanked against the floor. "What the?" she reached into his pocket and pulled out his mangled phone.

"Sheesh…I wonder if the phone store has a protection plan against…" Greg was about to finish his joke until he saw Garnet staring at him. "Uh…accidental mishaps! Yea! That's what I was going to say."

"Don't worry Greg, I'll repair his communication device." Said Pearl.

"You sure about that, P? Jasper really did a number on this thing" asked Amethyst as she held up the pulverized phone.

"I can handle it" she replied snatching it away from her.

Once Steven was all dressed, Greg and Garnet carefully tucked him in.

He opened his eyes halfway and smiled. "Goodnight…guys. I love…you" he sleepily said.

"We love you too Steven" they all said and he closed his eyes for a peaceful sleep.

"…He's right y'know." Garnet stated and everyone gave her their attention. "He's just like Little Robbie, always positive. I know without a shadow of a doubt that he'll be the one to put an end to this upcoming…situation. And he'll do it in his own Steve-ly way."

Everyone returned their gazes to the sleeping bundle underneath the covers and smiled.

Greg let out a yawn and said, "Well, I'm gonna head out. I'll have my van right next to you guys in case something happens" and the gems nodded.

He left and Amethyst followed suit to put his clothes in the wash. Garnet opened the door to her room; she needed to meditate to try to clear her mind.

That left Pearl and Lapis alone with Steven. "…Um, Lapis? If you want…you can rest in my room. There's plenty of water" Pearl offered.

"No. I'll stay here" she acutely declined.

Secretly, Pearl wanted to watch over him by herself, but it was clear that Lapis still harbored some ire towards them.

_"Well…she holds Steven in high regard so I guess that's enough"_ she thought, then said, "Alright…well…come get us if something happens."

"Mh hm" she responded.

Pearl went through her door, and gave one last glance before closing it. Now Lapis was alone with nothing but the sounds of their snores to keep her company. She just stared at him, still trying to wrap her mind around everything. A boy whom she only met for a few hours that one summer day knew more about her than anyone else on home world.

"Steven" she whispered as she stroked his hair. She was going to watch him like a hawk to make sure he would be okay.

* * *

Meanwhile, all the way on the other side of town, another girl was frantically trying to call her best friend to make sure he was okay after receiving that disturbing voice mail.

* * *

**Look at the little king using his skills like a boss! But Connie's still left in the dark. What will she do to make sure Steven's ok? Stay tuned to find out.**

**I guess that wasn't too long of wait, right? One day off my normal schedule. I was really rolling on this chapter, I think this is the longest one I've written thus far. **

**And I'll let you guys guess what Steven whispered to his dad. **

**I hope I'm getting better on those paragraph breaks, sorry if you guys got confused on who was talking.  
**

**Also, I want to apologize. In an earlier post, I had my own personal ideals in this chapter. Then it was made to known to me that fanfiction is different than full on journal type writing. Fanfiction is about keeping things in relative canon and continuity, even if it is an alternate universe so that the audience still feels some connection to the show. It was not my intent to push anything on anybody nor to make anyone uncomfortable. Again, I'm deeply sorry. ****But it's all a process and that's what reviews are for. Don't hesitate to let me know whenever I cross that delicate cannon line, to some degree anyway. It's still my story and I enjoy throwing new twists and turns(just wait in five chapters:) **

**I'm truly grateful that you guys have stuck with me on this journey. Many thanks!  
**

**If anyone wants to read to the original, I'll be happy to send it to you.**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	8. Chapter 8

"C'mon…pick up…" "_The number you have reached is currently unavailable. Please try your call-" **click**_

For the tenth time in a row, the increasingly worried companion of the young gem hybrid had tried to call his cell phone. But to no avail. She and her family had just returned from her violin recital and was excited to tell Steven how well she did. It always warmed her heart to hear his exuberant voice, finding joy in even the smallest things. Now her heart was weighed down with fear when the receiver of her house phone played that casual yet bizarre message.

"_Hey, Connie, it's Steven. Just... seeing what you were up to. Don't know if you knew, but there's some crazy stuff going on with a giant space hand and we all might die, so, uh, I guess call me back when you get this and talk to you soon! Uh, bye!"_

"_How could he be so calm about that?! Why would he tell me to call back and now he's not picking up?! What if he's…no. He can't be! He has a shield and powers and…and…"_ These thoughts were running around in her head faster than that anthropomorphic hedgehog in one of Steven's video games.

Unaware of her daughter's inner turmoil, Dr. Maheswaran called out to her, "Connie, you can talk to your friend tomorrow. It's time for bed."

_"I might not be able to talk to him ever again…"_ she thought.

Then on impulse she bolted out of the kitchen, through the living room and straight to the front door. Before she could turn the knob, her mother turned her around and sternly asked, "Where do you think you're going young lady?"

"Mom, I have to go see Steven! He's not answering his phone!" she responded.

"Probably because he's in bed, like where you should be" she countered.

"But mom! You don't understand! He left a message about a space hand and that he could die!"

"What? That's ridiculous! Is he trying to make some kind of joke? I'm starting to question the kind of books you two read" she inquired.

"Steven doesn't joke! …He'll make terrible puns, but he'll never joke about something like this! C'mon, just listen!" Connie dragged her mother to phone so she could hear the message.

Once it finished playing she asked, "Why does he sound so calm?"

"I don't know! I know he's the kind of person who doesn't want to make others worry, but now…mom, please. You got to let me see him."

Connie was on the verge tears, but her mom was still absolute in her rule minded ways. "Absolutely not! It's not safe to be out this late. I'm sure he's fine. He's with those guardians of his right? Now up to bed, you have tennis practice in the morning."

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back. Normally Connie would follow her parent's orders, while simultaneously exploiting a loophole so she could be like a regular kid. But hearing her mom completely disregard her feelings for some superficial activity sent her over the edge.

"Screw tennis! My best and **only** friend could've died doing some magical destiny stuff!" she yelled.

"You will watch your tone young lady!" her mother rebutted.

"No! You'll listen to me! I know you and dad think you're doing what's best for me and I appreciate everything that you do, but have **ever** asked what I want to do?! I want to watch random cartoons, eat a donut every once in a while, or even cosplay on of my favorite book characters! But you're so focused on my future that you don't pay attention to the now! I want to be a normal kid and Steven lets me do that! He always puts my feelings above his own, and he cares so much about me even though he has the entire world on his shoulders…and you don't even care! You don't care that besides him I don't have any friends or that the other kids at school ostracize me for no reason! You just don't even know!"

Connie let all of her frustrations out and Dr. Maheswaran was stunned. She couldn't even make a comeback, Connie was already out the front door. She ran after her, calling her name. But she was already half way down the ill-illuminated road.

"Steven…please be okay…" was Connie's only thought as she sprinted down the street. That is until a hand grabbed her and jerked her back.

Dr. Maheswaran was out of breath, but still managed to say, "Connie Abhi Maheswaran, are you insane?!"

In tears she said, "I don't care! I have to make sure he's okay! **I'm not going back to being alone**!"

That's when Dr. Maheswaran got a real good look at her daughter. She saw the fear, the desperation, the anxiety…she saw that kind of face many times during her career as a doctor.

_"We'll do everything we can"_ is what she would always to the relatives of the patients under her care.

It didn't erase their worries, but at least is gave them some semblance of comfort, knowing that their family member was in capable hands. How could she call herself a doctor if her own daughter didn't trust her? She had to, **needed to**, remedy this situation fast, quick and in a hurry.

"C'mon" she said.

Flailing Connie responded, "No! I'm going and you can't stop me!"

"I'm not stopping you. I'm going with you" she replied.

This caused Connie to settle down, but she still asked "What?" just to make sure she heard right.

"You've vehemently expressed how important Steven Universe is to you, so the only option where you can go and be safe is if I go with you."

Connie wiped her face and nodded. She followed her mom at safe distance, just in case this was some kind of ruse to get her back and make her stay in the house. But she realized she was serious when she grabbed the keys to **her** car. She only drove her car to work and back. Then again it shouldn't have surprised her. Her dad had to work tonight after the recital and took the around town car. She should've known they wouldn't have walked all the way to Steven's house.

She snapped out of her shock when her mom said, "I'm going to grab a couple of things, then we'll go." She nodded, went into the garage and sat in the passenger seat of the pristine silver Mercedes.

Dr. Maheswaran came out with two black medical bags and placed them in the back seat.

"Always good to be prepared" she said as she started the car. She backed out of the garage and they were on their way with every mile bringing them closer to either the end of a bad dream or the end of a life. The ride was silent and tense, more so that Connie didn't know how to talk to her mom after baring part of soul to her.

"Connie…it'll be okay" she tried to assure her daughter, but she still kept wringing her hands. She then tried a different tactic. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were feeling this way?"

Tears were slowly coming out as she said, "I-I don't know. I mean I know that you and dad always work hard, so I guess I thought you were always too busy for me. And…t-that I had disappointed you."

"Connie. Your father and I will never be too busy for you. If you feel that we are, then put the brakes on us. And you could never disappoint us. If it wasn't for the painful process of childbirth, I would have ten of you, that's how amazing you are. And I'm sorry if I've been too restrictive with you. I guess I was afraid you would end up like some of those degenerates I've seen when I was child. But now I see that it's important to be well-rounded. You already have the self-discipline to keep up your studies, and it seems that Steven is helping you grow in social aspect of your life. I'm sorry if I appeared nonchalant about Steven's message. The truth is…I was scared. I mean, his guardians being magical beings is a lot for my logical mind to take in. But instead of denying that there could've been a situation, I should've taken you're initiative and gone along with your concerns. It's what being a doctor all about, no matter how abnormal the case is I always strive to find the solution. Let's hope that the solution is nothing more than him being asleep and not hearing his phone."

"Me too. And mom…I'm sorry…for everything."

"Nothing to be sorry for. No matter what I will always love you."

"I love you too" she said trying to keep her voice even through the tears. They knew they would have to address this situation later, but at least for now they opened the book.

When they reached Beach City, it looked nothing short of a deserted war zone. They both gasped when they saw the damage. Green ship parts were strewn across the sand and some of them were on fire. Buildings were devoid of their glass protection. They parked behind Fish Stew Pizza. Dr. Maheswaran grabbed her bags and they proceeded to walk the rest of the way.

Connie's heart rate increased when they walked on the beach past all the debris. Dr. Maheswaran tried to be calm for her daughter, but even her mind was rattled. _"It's a good thing we decided to come after all…"_ she thought.

Soon the beach house came into view, with Greg's van parked in front of it. When they walked up the stairs and approached the front door, they could hear frantic yelling inside. _"At least they're alive"_ Dr. Maheswaran thought as she loudly knocked on the door. That caused the conversation to cease and Greg opened the door.

"Dr. Maheswaran! Connie!" he exclaimed with relief although it was clear that he was distressed. "Thank goodness you're here!"

"Why? What's going on?" Dr. Maheswaran asked.

"It's Steven! Something's wrong with him and we don't know what!" he answered.

Connie was stunned. The distressing voice mail, fighting and reconciling with her mom, walking past all that broken alien tech and now this?! She had to fight off the incoming panic attack; Steven needed her.

* * *

**Good thing there's a doctor in the house. Well…I did say he was more or less healed. What's going on with Steven? Is Rose having second thoughts? Will Connie be able to be strong for her friend? Stay tuned. **

**I chose Abhi as Connie's middle name because it means fearless and very nice. It took a lot of courage for her to stand up to her mom like that, not to mention handling all that magic stuff like it's no big deal.**

**And go out and give your mom or motherly figure a big hug tomorrow! Thanks again for all your kind words! I may make the sketch but you guys refine it into a drawing, so thank you!**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Just as a heads up, there are some graphic parts of this chapter that may make some people a bit squeamish. I will label where it begins and where it ends.**

* * *

The whole atmosphere of the illuminated beach house was so thick with concern, and Steven's helpless grunting and moaning only added fuel to the fire. Dr. Maheswaran walked up the stairs to his room, shaking off her jitters about seeing a pink lion sleeping on the couch. Connie assured her mom that Lion was tame and friendly, but her logical mind could only take so much.

The gems surrounded the bed; they moved out of the way to let her through. Steven was on his side facing the window. He was curled up so tight into the fetal position that he resembled that koala alien from that Hawaiian movie. He was sweating, taking shallow breaths, and was extremely pale for his complexion. She noticed that his navel was glowing.

Before she examined him she reached into her black bag, took out and put on her white doctor coat, rubber gloves and headband with a little flashlight attached to it.

"When did these symptoms start occurring?" she asked as she knelt down on the side of the bed.

Lapis tried to keep the edge out of her voice as she said, "It just started ten minutes ago. I was watching him and suddenly he awoke with a start and grabbed his gem. Then he screamed in pain! When I asked him what was wrong, he said that it felt like something was squeezing his body."

"Hmmm…severe abdominal cramping" she said to herself as she pulled out her stethoscope.

"What are you going to do to him?!" inquired Pearl.

Dr. Maheswaran sighed in exasperation. She realized that she couldn't properly do her job if she had to stop every ten seconds and explain what she was doing. That's why they had waiting rooms. Point blank she said to the gems, "I know you're not going to like this, but I need you four to wait outside. I can't properly examine him if you question my every move. You'll get stressed, which in turn stresses the patient and myself. And that's when mistakes can occur."

But Pearl was having none of it. "Absolutely n-"

"We understand" Garnet said cutting her off.

"Garnet, I'm not abandoning him again! And why can Greg stay here?" she asked.

"Well…from what I observed, you four aren't human and Mr. Universe is. So it stands to reason that he would know a bit more about human biology than you four do. Plus, I need someone level headed and he'll have to serve as my nurse" she explained.

Before Pearl could take that as an insult and refute her untrue assumption, Garnet grabbed her shoulder and said, "Let's go" ending the trivial argument.

Once the gems were outside, Dr. Maheswaran said, "Okay, we'll have to get him to uncurl so I can check his heart rate and breathing. Connie -"

"I'm not leaving" she stated although a little harsher than intended.

"I wasn't going to ask you to leave. If you and Steven are as close as I think you are, I think you can help him relax. I need you to be his rock. Can you handle it?" she asked.

Connie understood the implications. Trying to be strong for someone who was clearly in pain wouldn't be easy, but she wouldn't let him down.

Dr. Maheswaran motioned for her to approach him. "Steven…" she hesitantly said, but the only response she received was more moaning. "Steven, it's me…Connie"

Steven slowly opened his eyes and turned over onto his back. "C-Connie…HRGH" he gasped as another wave of pain hit his tiny frame.

"Steven!" Connie shouted.

"Connie! Remember, we have to keep our emotions in check" her mother reminded her. It seemed that Greg needed that reminder as well because he wiped tears out of his eyes and grabbed one of his son's hands.

"It's gonna be alright, bud. You're going to be okay. Dr. Maheswaran is going to check you out and make you better" Although he didn't say it, Dr. Maheswaran picked up the implication of his tone as if he was asking, "_Right?"_

"I'll do my best" she said as she put on her stethoscope. She put the end of it between her hands to warm it up some.

Connie went over to the other side of the bed and rubbed Steven's curly hair, just to let him know she was here. "Steven…my mom needs to check your heart. Can you lay out straight for me, please?" Connie said with a quiver in her voice.

He nodded, although it looked like every move he made was tortuous to him.

Dr. Maheswaran immediately unbuttoned his night shirt and put the warm stethoscope to the left side of his chest. She gasped and immediately chided herself. Rookie response. Unfortunately it didn't go unnoticed.

"What? What's wrong?" asked Greg.

"His heart rate is dangerously high" she said as she grabbed the hand the Greg was holding. After holding his wrist for a minute she concluded, "190/150"

"What?! He could have a heart attack or stroke!" exclaimed Greg.

"I know. Truthfully, if this has been going on for ten minutes, it's a miracle he didn't die sooner." she replied. Connie was on the verge on breaking down, she couldn't stand the thought of Steven dying in front of her. "And that's not all. Look" Greg and Connie carefully looked at his body. It was twitching and his belly was becoming enlarged.

"What's going on?!" they asked.

Dr. Maheswaran took out a device that looked like an old school Gameboy advance, just bigger. She held it over the swelled area and pressed as sequence of buttons. Soon, thin rays of blue lights scanned over the area.

"This is a portable body scanner. It allows me to see inside a patients' body. And thanks to medical advancements, there is no radiation. It's purely electrons which are produced naturally in our bodies, so there won't be any side effects except a tingling sensation" she said before Greg could ask. Connie came over and all of them looked at the image. "This is highly unusual. It appears as though all of the impurities in Steven's body are being drawn to his abdominal cavity…his stomach" she simplified. "It's almost as if his body is resetting itself. But what's disturbing is the amount of scarred tissue. What happened to him?"

Before Greg could answer, Steven's gem went dark. She looked at the image and said, "Oh no…Greg! We need a trash bag right now! Connie, help me hold him up!"

* * *

**(Here's where it starts):**

Greg sprinted down the stairs while Connie and her mom held Steven upright. As soon as they did that, Steven could feel all the toxic substance rise up through his esophagus. He kept his mouth closed because his dad didn't bring the bag yet.

"Hurry up!" she said.

"I'm sorry! Here!" Greg held the opened black bag near his son's chin.

Once he knew it was safe, he immediately expelled the first wave of the horrible substance out of his mouth.

"Blood…its blood! Why is it black?!" asked Greg.

"It's not just blood. It's also waste by-products, scarred tissue, saturated fats, and any other substance that his body deems foreign. That's why his blood pressure was so high. Normally it takes three days for our bodies to create new blood through our bone marrow, he was replenishing his whole blood supply in the course of minutes" she explained as a second wave hit. You had to admire her professionalism in this situation. Years of experience made her immune to most situations.

The sloshing sound of the toxic blood mixture hitting the plastic bag made Connie want to retch, but she had to keep it together. The convulsions were so painful that Steven was weeping and coughing between each expulsion. Connie rubbed circles on his back to ease his coughing fit. But the scene became too much, she couldn't hold it in anymore. She started to cry along with him, she felt his anguish and it broke her heart. She always saw him as this happy-go lucky kid and seeing him in this state killed her.

But she wasn't the only one affected.

The gems could hear their young ward's cries outside the beach house. Amethyst covered her ears so she wouldn't hear that disgusting sound of his vomit hitting the bag. _"I'll never eat again"_ she thought to herself.

Pearl watched through the screen door. With every scream that erupted from his throat, it decreased the color in her already pale skin and her building anxiety resulted in rapid breathing. She tried to be strong, but after a particularly sickening discharge where red nasal mucous expelled itself as well, that was the nail in the coffin. She fainted and Garnet caught her in her quivering arms.

The fusion was having a hard time keeping herself together, literally. She ground her teeth and slightly shook her head to try and shut off the raging turmoil pounding within her head. When she retreated to her room to meditate, she actually un-fused back into Ruby and Sapphire because Ruby was so stressed and angry at the situation. The only reason they fused back together was because of Steven; he needed someone to be strong for him, but it seemed like that role had been filled by his best friend.

"No more…please…no more" Lapis pleaded internally as she held her knees to her chest. She couldn't stand this and the ocean reacted to her emotions. The waves became choppy and crept higher past the natural shoreline.

Then, the vomiting stopped. All that remained was Steven's painful cries through his raw throat.

* * *

**(That's the end of it)**

Garnet, Amethyst and Lapis looked through the window and saw Lion as calm as ever, as if he knew this had to happen. But what really broke them was seeing Steven. His chest had some of that substance on it and he was wailing like a newborn baby.

"Steven…what have I done?" Garnet thought to herself. A guilty conscious is the bane of every leader's existence. She knew it was a difficult choice to follow Steven's battle plan and deal with all the repercussions, but there was no turning back now.

Picking up on her leader's distress, Amethyst said, "Hey G, don't beat yourself over this. In hindsight, you made the right call. Jasper got beat, we're all here, and at least we know Steven can heal himself. So it's different than what we're used to, that's nothing new. It's Steven, you never know what's gonna happen with that little guy. But I know this…he always makes things better."

Garnet and smiled and said, "Thank you" There could be no more room for regret, what's done is done and they're all together. All they can do now is wait.

Steven's cries were whimpers now; the pain wasn't all the way gone but at least it wasn't excruciating. Greg tied the bag up and carried it downstairs.

Dr. Maheswaran scanned his body again and sighed in relief. "It's over. His body completed the purification process."

"But mom…he looks skinnier" Connie worriedly observed.

Greg came upstairs in time to hear her explanation, "That kind of rushed process takes a lot of energy. It's likely his gem was the catalyst to provide that initial energy wave to begin the purification, but now that it's depleted, his reserve fat cells are providing the energy needed for his recovery process. Greg, can you clean him up please? He's dehydrated and I'm going to set up an IV for him."

Greg carefully picked up his son and carried him to the bathroom. "Steven, buddy can you sit for me?" He nodded and Greg carefully sat him on the closed toilet lid. He slouched forward a little but still kept upright. Greg ran some warm bath water and then proceeded to take his pjs off.

"Dad…" he said between his hushed cries. "It hurts…so much"

"I know, buddy. But it's all over now. You're body's all fixed up. Once you're strong enough, I'll take you to Fun Land and we'll spend the whole day together."

"But…Mr. Smiley banned me…from all the rides"

"Trust me son, after what you did for this city and everyone in it, I'll make **sure** he gives you front of the line passes for the rest of your life" his dad assured.

Steven smiled at that and it warmed Greg's heart. He tested the water with his elbow to make sure it wasn't too hot and carefully put his son in the tub. He began to wash away all evidence of his horrible ordeal.

"I understand now…why mom asked me to do that…" he said to himself but Greg picked up on it.

"Yea…no parent wants to see their child suffer. I mean, I wish I could take your place and not have you go through any of this. But it's like I say, if every pork chop were perfect we wouldn't have hot dogs. And I never had any doubt that you would be something extraordinary, just like your mother said."

"Mh hmm…I must be one very tasty hot dog"

Greg chuckled and said, "Yea…with all the fixins'" Steven laughed a little but still grimaced in pain.

"Alright bud, I'm gonna get you some clothes. Do you think you can dry yourself off?" He nodded and Greg helped him out the tub. He wrapped him up in a star-patterned towel and went out to get him some fresh pjs.

But he didn't have to go very far. Connie was right outside the bathroom with a neatly folded set of pjs.

"H-here you are, Mr. Universe" she said slightly blushing. She never went through a boy's wardrobe before, but she wanted to help, no matter how small.

Greg smiled and took the clothes from her. "Thank you Connie. You've been a big help" he said as he ruffled her hair. She returned the smile, then went back up to her mom. Steven heard what Connie did and blushed a little himself.

Once he was all dry, Greg helped him get dressed in his signature star pj shirt and boxer bottoms. "C'mon bud, you're long overdue for some sleep" he said as he picked him up and cradled him to his chest.

They exited the bathroom and walked up the stairs. The gems were waiting for them as well as Connie and her mom. Greg placed his son in the bed on his back. Everyone stood back to give Dr. Maheswaran some room so she could properly administer the electrolyte infused IV. Pearl nearly fainted again when she saw the needle enter into his left arm.

"That'll stay in his arm for a half hour, considering how fast his body replaced his whole blood supply it shouldn't take long for him to be fully hydrated" she explained.

Everyone nodded and Garnet said, "Thank you."

"Yea, I take back what I said about doctors, you're alright" said Amethyst.

Dr. Maheswaran smiled, but noticed that Pearl and Lapis were still staring at the sleeping boy. "Don't worry, he'll be fine. I apologize for how I came across earlier, I'm quite certain you know just as much if not more about human biology."

"But you looked like you knew what you were doing." Lapis said.

"Truth be told, all I did was take educated guesses and kept everyone calm. I have no idea how gem physiology works. But once I saw the similarities, everything fell into place. Connie and I'll will spend the night so I can monitor him. It's just safer that way and you know we're all about safety. However, I must request that your pet Lion sleep outside…please?"

Lion heard that and went out the door. He sensed that another explanation was about to come up and he didn't want to be in the middle of another yelling match.

Greg and the gems put the couch back together and moved the living room table out of the way. Then Pearl materialized an ornate, wooden frame bed out of her gem.

"Whoa…" Connie said with diamonds in her eyes. Her mom was equally impressed.

"Yes, well. Amethyst does have some taste" she managed to joke even though her cheeks were as blue as Lapis.

"What?! You took this from my room?! And you always complain about me taking your stuff?!" Amethyst berated.

"I hate to interrupt" Dr. Maheswaran said "but I have a pressing matter to discuss with all of you. While scanning Steven's body I saw large amounts of dead tissue, specifically pieces of blood vessels. What happened to him?"

The gems were not thrilled to repeat this story again, but Garnet took a deep breath and explained what happened. When she was done, Dr. Maheswaran's calm poise broke as she stared at them wide-eyed in shock.

Connie wasn't so easily stunned into silence. "How could let that happen to him?! You guys can punch a giant robot into goop but you couldn't take on an already defeated gem?!" Tears were streaming down her face, her hands were balled into fists. Steven had always raved about how awesome the gems were, but this…after everything he went through…it diminished her respect for them tremendously.

"Look, we get it! We royally screwed up okay?! We don't need it thrown back in our faces every time we talk about it!" Amethyst shouted, but immediately caught herself when she realized she shouted at Steven's best friend.

"It…wasn't their fault…" Steven's strained voice called everyone to attention. They all went back to his room to listen to what he had to say.

"It was mine…I decided to go up…against Jasper…"

"But why?" Connie asked.

"The same reason why you wanted to come here." Dr. Maheswaran said. "You were prepared to run all the way to his house, ignoring all the blatantly obvious dangers, to make sure he was okay. And lest we forget that they did everything they could think of to heal him, even asking us for help." Connie looked back at the gems and suddenly regretted her outburst.

Steven started to cry again.

"Steven, what wrong?!" asked Pearl.

"…I wish I was stronger…" he whispered. "I stood up to Jasper…because I wanted to be brave like you guys. But what happens? All I do is get beat up! I don't know how to use my powers, and I'll never be a real crystal gem because I'm not strong like mom!" Steven covered his eyes with his free arm as the river of tears streamed down his face.

Everyone was stunned. He had been so strong for them, he was the glue that held them together. But this moment made the gems realize he was first and foremost a child. An exceptional and insightful child, but a child nonetheless. A child that so desperately wanted to make them proud. He pushed all his insecurities aside for them, because he loved them. If it wasn't for that IV, everyone would've embraced him. So instead, they embraced him with their words.

"Steven, you're right…you're not Rose and you'll never be. You are you. And I wouldn't have it any other way" said Pearl with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, bud! I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was when you came back. That you cared so much about us…_about someone like me…_" Amethyst added.

"Steven, we know that you're strong, but it's okay to feel weak. We know that it was hard for you to admit this, but you shouldn't be ashamed. In fact, I'm very proud of you. You faced your biggest fear which was trying to meet "our" expectations. But I want you to listen to me, the only thing we expect of you is for you to continue being yourself. The loving boy that's eager to learn and enjoy every day to the fullest by shining a light wherever you go" Garnet said through a cracked voice.

"Steven…I…you're here and…" Lapis couldn't find the words to express her gratitude towards him. She hoped in time that her actions would speak for her.

Greg just smiled at him, with tears flooding his beard.

"Steven, remember what I said? You don't need any powers to be with me. I'll still be your friend, no matter what" Connie said and they both blushed.

"Steven, we will always love you" they all said in unison.

Then he smiled a genuine smile. A heavy burden had been lifted off of him. Even his gem regained it lustrous aura and bathed everyone in a soothing light. "Thanks you guys…" he said as he drifted off to his much needed rest.

Everyone just stared at him, enjoying his gem glow.

Dr. Maheswaran proceeded to remove the IV and said, "It's been a long night. Everyone should get some rest before I have to deal with a number of extreme exhaustion cases."

Greg and Connie nodded but Pearl said, "We'll be okay doctor. Gems don't need sleep. We'll watch over him and get you if anything happens."

Dr. Maheswaran let out a yawn before nodding in agreement. Both she and her daughter got into the bed downstairs while Greg turned out the lights before going out to his van.

The gems all sat around his bed. His gem illuminated the area.

Pearl looked up at the portrait of Rose and whispered, "Thank you Rose, for your son." Garnet and Amethyst thought the exact same thing.

Lapis disdained anything related to the crystal gems, but she figured Rose couldn't be all that bad if she gave them Steven. And they all vowed to make sure that this love would never be snuffed out. There's just no limit to how powerful it can be.

* * *

**Now I can say for sure that Steven is fully healed. And they're right, love is a powerful thing. Powerful enough to reform a certain gem perhaps? Stay tuned.**

**Thanks for the favorites, followers, reviews and basically waiting for me guys, it means a lot. I'll try to limit the number of cliff hangers, but no promises ;)**

**Also let me know if I can improve on any of the medical terminology or practices. All I know is basic anatomy**

**But just as a heads up, now that summer's around the corner things will be picking up at my job. Which is great for me, more money in my pocket for school but not so great for free writing time. I'll try to update at least once a week, but if I can't I swear that I haven't forgotten this story or you guys. Thanks so much for understanding and continue to let me know how I'm doing. **

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	10. Chapter 10

The scintillant rays of a new dawn filtered through the shuttered blinds of the beach abode.

"Yawwnnn…hmmmm" Steven was the first to rouse from his tranquil slumber. He tried to stretch out, but the exertion from last night's medical crisis reminded him that that wasn't such a good idea right now.

Even so, the euphoric feeling of knowing that everyone he cherished felt the same way about him caused a huge grin to present itself. No aching muscles were going to bring him down; and his gleaming gem responded to his positive vibes. "'Morning mom" he mumbled to himself.

His eyes adjusted to light; the minuscule dust particles were dancing in the sunlight like the diamond molecules that appear whenever the gems manifest their powers. He delicately propped himself on his non-punctured arm so he could sit up and locate the rest of his family. He didn't have to look far.

Garnet was leaning against the window pane with Pearl curled up and resting her head on her muscular legs. Amethyst was curled up on the foot of the bed with her wild hair creating a makeshift throw. He turned to his right and saw Lapis with her upper body resting on the side of the bed.

On surface it appeared as though they were exhausted from the harrowing ordeal, but upon closer inspection Steven's heart went out to them.

He noticed Amethyst coiling herself in her flowing white locks, shielding herself from whatever maleficent presence in her mind.

Pearl subtly ran her hands through her hair while her eyes were furrowed shut, failing miserably to try and come up with a tactical plan even in her resting state.

Garnet's stoicism couldn't conceal her trembling hands as they nervously grasped Pearl's ballerina-like frame, willing herself not to fail as a protector again.

Lapis was a bit easier to read; her tear-stained face was an obvious clue to her discombobulated mindset. I mean, being a prisoner of war on a foreign planet then to be used as pawn for your non-recognizable home world? It's kind of a surprise she didn't break down a long time ago.

He pondered the situation. _"How do I make them feel better?"_ he thought.

Putting his hand on them and just waking them up would be a no go. That would startle them and that's the worst way to wake up. He closed his eyes and tried to formulate a plan. What usually made him feel better when he was upset, besides food?

"Hmmm…Got it!" he exclaimed inside his head.

He meticulously made his way off the left side of the bed so he wouldn't disturb Amethyst or Lapis; his pajamas felt baggy against his slightly leaner frame.

He stealthily tiptoed over to Garnet, just like a ninja from the new ninja squad. Getting close to her heavyhearted face, he planted a small kiss to her cheek – completely unaware that little diamond sparkles manifested themselves around the point of contact. Immediately, her shoulders relaxed as if she were melting into a pool of ooey-goodness. Her grip on Pearl's upper body loosened up and her whole vibe went from stressed to serene.

Steven gave himself a mental fist pump after witnessing the results of his considerate gesture and went down to Pearl.

Being mindful not to brush up against Garnet's thighs, he tactfully placed another kiss right on her gem…even if his body looked like it was playing twister. He didn't mind the soreness at all when he observed the air around Pearl do a complete one eighty. Her hair went back to her original, pointy style and her breathing was evening out. A content smile revealed itself on her face and matched Steven's giddy grin.

He conscientiously rose his contorted body up, ignoring silent screams of millions of inflamed muscle cells and made his over to Amethyst.

He furrowed his brow in deep thought; this one was going to be tricky. She was curled up pretty tight so there wasn't any opening on her face and he didn't want to risk freaking her out by moving her hair out the way. His thought process was interrupted when he heard mumblings from the purple being.

"…runt…Am not!...no…" he could discern those words, but it didn't make any sense to him; all he knew was that he needed to help his friend quickly.

An opportunity presented itself when she tossed onto her back. Unfortunately it wasn't the countenance he was accustomed to seeing.

Her eyes were closed tight, as if she was trying to dam the oncoming river. Her hands were clenched as if wanting to fight an enemy but couldn't for whatever reason. Steven didn't waste another single minute and delivered a kiss right on her nose. Immediately the tight, troubled coil inside of her released itself and her carefree attitude revealed itself as she resumed her loud snoring.

Steven nodded in satisfaction and went over to Lapis. A fresh set of tears rehydrated the stains that he saw earlier. Quiet whimpers matched her blue mood. Steven remedied that by placing a kiss on her exposed cheek and delicately wiped the tears from one eye.

But nothing about her demeanor changed; if anything she appeared confused.

Steven tried to figure out what went wrong until a blue light emanated from Lapis' gem.

_"What the?!_" he thought as he turned to look at the rest of his family. And sure enough, all of their gems were glowing and with increasing intensity.

He had to shield his eyes from the brightness. The light was beginning to fade and he quickly scrambled back into bed, which still wasn't a good idea. Just as he laid his head on the fluffy down pillow, the gems started to stir from their slumber.

"Yawwwn…hmmm" Amethyst was the first one to awaken and the first thing she saw was Pearl on Garnet's lap. She snickered to herself when Pearl finally woke up.

"Comfy P?" she laughed, even though Pearl was thoroughly confused at her mirth.

That is until she looked up and saw her reflection in Garnet's shades and realized what she was lying on.

"Good morning Pearl" the leader calmly spoke.

Pearl's cheeks turned bluer than Lapis as she immediately got up and stuttered, "Yes! Uh…Good morning Garnet! Yes…I mean uh"

Amethyst cackled like a hyena and Pearl shot her a death glare.

Lapis stirred due to the noise of their antics and fluttered her eyes open. When she lifted her head, she saw Steven with a big grin on his face as he watched the gems' interact with each other.

"Steven" she said with relief.

That caused everyone else to stop their comedic antics and look at their little brother.

"STEVEN!" they exclaimed.

"Good morning guys!" he said as enthusiastically as he could, all things considered.

Pearl rushed to him and placed her hand on his forehead. "How are you feeling? Does anything hurt? Do you need anything?" she rapidly asked.

"I feel okay, just really sore…and thirsty" he said.

"No surprise there, little guy. You went through a lot last night" Amethyst said as she sat next to him.

"Indeed. Connie's mother instructed that you should rest for five days and that your diet consist of soft foods and soup until your throat has healed" said Pearl.

"Like chocolate pudding?" asked Steven with big, pleading eyes.

Pearl smiled at the boy and said, "Of course. After everything you went through…you can have as much pudding as you want."

Steven smiled at the prospect of eating a mountain of chocolate vanilla swirl pudding, but then realized something. "Wait, you said instructed. Dr. Maheswaran and Connie aren't here? What about dad?"

"No, Connie had to go to tennis practice then school. She said that she'll see you this afternoon. And your father said he had to go check on the car wash and get this whole episode out of his system" explained Pearl.

He slowly sat up and looked down at the living room. Sure enough the ornate bed was gone and everything was put back into its proper place. "Oh…" he responded.

"Don't worry dude, you'll have your _girlfriend_ taking care of you soon enough" Amethyst snickered.

Steven blushed and said, "Uh…I love everyone remember?" Garnet and Pearl chuckled at this, even though Pearl tried to reprimand Amethyst for her comment but it fell on deaf ears.

Lapis just watched the interaction between them; this whole "love" concept was just so…weird to her. _"This is love? There's **definitely **nothing like that on Home World. And what was that tingling sensation earlier?"_ she thought to herself.

A sudden coughing fit wrought her out of her musings.

"What's wrong Steven?!" asked Pearl.

"My throat…is dry…that's all" he answered.

Pearl dashed downstairs and grabbed one of the electrolyte infused water bottles that Dr. Maheswaran left for him and a red plastic cup. She ran back up and said, "Here" as she filled the cup to the brim.

Amethyst helped him sit up while he drank. "Shoot, you weren't kidding when you said you were thirsty" she commented when he finished all two liters of water. She laid him back down on the bed.

"Well…his cells were bound to be hypertonic after last night" concluded Pearl.

"Uh, wanna speak normal?" asked Amethyst.

"It means that his body was shriveled up" said Garnet.

"We're going to need to get more, as well as soft, nutritious foods for him. Steven, are you well enough to eat?" asked Pearl. Steven nodded and his grumbling tummy extenuated his answer. "Alright, I'm going to the store. I'll be right back."

Steven cringed when she said that. The last time Pearl went shopping alone, she brought back a lot of vegetables and some weird mushy stuff called hummus. He turned over to face Amethyst and his pleading look was enough.

"Way ahead of you bud. Hey Pearl, I'm coming too!"

"Oh no you're not! You'll inhale the whole store."

"That's not true! I'd only inhale the cake section. Plus someone's gotta make sure you don't get any nasty stuff" she countered.

"What? I never get nasty stuff!" she replied.

"Says the gem that doesn't even like to eat!"

"Enough" commanded Garnet. "Both of you go and hurry back. We'll look after him" she said and they complied, Pearl a bit more begrudgingly than Amethyst.

Before leaving, Pearl placed a kiss on his forehead and Amethyst kissed him on the nose. "Don't starve on us bud" Amethyst said as she ruffled his hair. It may have been a joke, but the small crack in her voice when she said it didn't go unnoticed by the gems and spoke of the severity of the situation still at hand. They exited the beach house and went on their way.

After they left, Steven realized that they kissed him in the same areas he did to them. Garnet noticed the cogs turning in his brain and said with a loving tone, "Yes, Steven. We noticed."

He was slightly disappointed, partly because he wanted to be all stealth-like and mostly because he didn't want any credit for it, he just wanted to make them feel better.

He was brought out of his deprecating thoughts when Garnet kissed him on the cheek. He giggled at that and she said, "Thank you Steven. Putting your own welfare aside to make us feel better…we don't deserve that kind of love."

"That's not true! You-"

Garnet put a finger to his lips and shushed him. "I know. But we're still grateful for it." Steven smiled at that.

He looked over at Lapis and frowned a little. She was staring at the floor, with her eyes looking every which way as if she was trying to process what she just heard.

"Lapis?" She regained her focus and looked at the bed-ridden boy.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes Steven, I'm fine. Just…thinking" she replied.

Steven didn't press any further about her cognitive processes but asked Garnet, "Hey Garnet? Why were yours, Amethyst's, Lapis' and Pearl's gems glowing after I kissed you guys?"

Lapis was thinking the exact same thing; she never felt anything like that before.

Garnet blushed a little and cleared her throat. "_There's no way Pearl would be able to explain this…"_ she thought before she began. "Steven, when gems feel an immense surge of happiness, our gems glow to signify that."

"Like how when Ruby and Sapphire were glowing when they fused? Or how I was happy when you guys got me those Cookie Cats?" he asked.

"Exactly" she stated.

"What about when you guys fuse? Your gems glow then" he pointed out.

"That's different. All we need to synchronize is a common objective. For example, Pearl and Amethyst only fused in order to save you from that bird monster. Except in my case or yours and Connie's case…" she finished with a deeper blush.

"So wait…does that mean you guys aren't happy? I didn't see your gems glowing like this before until now."

The room hung heavy with this observant statement. Steven wished he could take back the question. After everything that they went through with the war and whatever else, of course it would be hard for them to be happy.

"Steven, it's not that were not happy. It's just that…we aren't used to expressing ourselves that way." Garnet explained then quickly followed it up with, "And don't you dare think for one second that it has anything to do with you. In fact, you're our greatest source of pleasure. Haven't you noticed how often Pearl blushes around you or how Amethyst always laughs when you're around? And I'm so proud of you that my gems are always faintly glowing."

"But why do you hide it?" he asked.

"Because that how it was on home world" Lapis sadly said. Now she remembered why she never felt this sensation…

"She's right. Back on home world, showing that kind of affection openly was considered taboo. I guess it's still ingrained in us to some degree. But your mother relished that kind of display and encouraged it. Heh, I remember some nights our gems would glow so bright that it would light up the sky."

Steven liked that mental image and said, "Well you guys can glow around me or anyone else anytime you want! Well…except when I'm sleeping…"

Garnet gave him another kiss on the cheek and held her glowing gem hand to it. "We wouldn't have it any other way" she said.

Lapis was still uneasy about all this.

Garnet sensed that something was off with her and said, "I'm going to go out and start cleaning up the debris on the beach. Hopefully Pearl and Amethyst will back soon. Lapis, I'm trusting you with his care."

She nodded and for the time being pushed all of her insecurities aside for Steven's sake.

Garnet went downstairs and picked up three of the oranges that Dr. Maheswaran left for him and a couple of paper towels. "Steven, if you're up to it here are some oranges. Lapis can peel them for you."

He nodded but Lapis just stared at the spherical orange object. It's been eons since she held a piece of fruit.

With that Garnet took her leave and it was just him and her.

* * *

He sat up a little against his pillows and asked, "Lapis? Do you know how to peel an orange?"

She sighed and replied, "Truthfully, no. I don't even remember ever holding an orange."

"That's okay! Here, let me show you"

"But Steven, your body…"

"I'll be fine. Besides, now you can have some too!" Lapis reluctantly handed the orange to him and he proceeded to peel it with minimal discomfort. The process fascinated Lapis and the smell from the orange rind was simply delectable.

"Here, try one. I mean if you want. I know gems don't need food and all." He offered a singular curved wedge from his sticky fingers. Lapis took it and popped it in her mouth. Steven observed her with starry eyes as she swallowed the vitamin rich plant flesh.

"It's very refreshing" she concluded as she licked her fingers clean.

He smiled and asked, "Do you want some more?"

She smiled at his generosity and said, "No, thank you. You need this more than I do." He didn't need to be told twice and began to eat. Soon all three oranges were safely tucked away inside his tummy; no doubt all of his mitochondria were utilizing the energy wisely.

"Guess I'd better go wash up" he said as he looked at his citrus smelling hands and orange peel pieces surrounding him.

"No need" she said. Her gem began to glow and she pulled out a stream of water and split it in half. She manipulated the first half over his hands and cheeks, drawing all of the grime off of him. Once he was clean, she floated the murky water over the kitchen sink and dropped it down the drain. Then she bended the second half over the stained areas of his comforter and proceeded to wash it. She gathered all of the orange peel fragments and carried them and the muddy water sphere down to the kitchen, where she properly disposed of them.

When she got back up to his room, he was staring at her starry-eyed.

"So cooool…" he awed and she blushed at the simple complement. And not a moment later, her gem was blazing again with that same bright light.

"Hey, that means you're happy!" he exclaimed, but toned down his enthusiasm when he saw that her face didn't reflect her gem. "Or…are you using your powers again? Either way it's still awesome!"

"Thank you Steven, I'm just…confused more than anything. When you've been taught that feeling this way is wrong... it makes me feel like I'm a bad gem" she said with a downcast look.

"Do you…not like having your gem glow that way?" he asked.

"I love it! And that's what makes this so frustrating!" she exasperated as she ran her hands through her hair.

Steven hated seeing his friend like this, everyone should be able to show how happy they were. That's when he realized something. "Lapis, are we on home world?" he asked.

Lapis gave him a confused look and replied "Steven, you know we're on Earth."

"So since you don't live on home world anymore, that means you don't have to follow home world rules. You have to follow Earth rules! Well…technically you not a human so you don't have to follow our rules. But what I'm saying is that you're free to feel however you want, and no one can make you feel bad so long as you don't allow it."

Lapis marveled at his elementary, yet insightful conclusion. "I'm…free?" she asked still not believing it.

"Yep! So get rid of all of that stinkin' thinkin' and just be yourself!"

Lapis' gem started to glow again, the brightest it's ever been, but she was crying. Before Steven could ask what was wrong she said, "Steven, it's okay, I'm okay. More than okay! Thank you for helping me. I want to feel like this all the time." She wanted to give him a hug, but remembered his body's condition. So she settled on giving him a tender kiss on the other cheek, just like he had done for her.

He chortled and thought, _"I knew giving kisses would make'em feel better. That's what they always do to me when I feel down."_ Then his gem started to glow, creating a beautiful light show with their combined auroras. "Whoaaaa…so this is what Garnet meant" he awed. Even Lapis had diamonds in her eyes as she marveled the scene before her.

After a few minutes, the lights dimmed much to their chagrin.

"Hey Lapis?" asked Steven.

"Yes? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but I was just thinking…what are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean, I know you're not fond of Earth because of everything that happened to you. If you wanted to leave, then that's your choice."

Her shoulders tensed up when he said that. "Are you…kicking me out?" she asked on the verge of more tears.

Steven quickly backtracked. "No! That's not it! I just want you to be happy. If it were up to me I would want you to stay here with us so I could show you all the good things, like fry bits or the arcade! But it's not and like I said you're free and well…yeah..."

She put her hand on the cheek she bestowed with a kiss and said, "Steven…being with **you** makes me happy. Thank you for being so thoughtful. I don't know if I could be a crystal gem though…"

Steven couldn't believe that his family would do something like that though. He asked, "Were Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl really the ones who put you in the mirror? Like for real? Because Pearl said she found you at the galaxy warp."

Lapis contemplated for a few minutes, trying to sift through all of her memories over the ages. "Honestly, I don't know. I just know it was during the war and someone from the crystal gem army put me in there as a prisoner. Heh, I guess I should consider myself fortunate that I didn't get destroyed" she bitterly laughed.

Steven noticed the scowl appear her face; it didn't look good on her. He was about to apologize but Lapis beat him to the punch. "You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything. You weren't even there. I guess…in hindsight if your friends were captured by the home world side…they would've experienced the same fate. Why would they let an enemy out of their prison?" she realized.

Steven sighed. "I just wish everyone could love each other and be friends. All fighting does is hurt yourself and others."

Lapis took in what he said. It was naïve, but then again not impossible. I mean, he's friends with humans and gems. She's even his friend.

"Well…I think you're making a good start" she fondly stated.

They reveled in the blissful moment, then Steven asked, "Lapis? Can you do the thing?"

* * *

_Meanwhile_

"I can't believe you actually did that!" grumbled Pearl as she trudged through the sand carrying four bags in each hand.

"What?! That lady said it was free samples!" countered Amethyst as she was trailing the irate gem with her own load.

"Not the whole tray of cookies! Why did you even eat ten bags?!"

"Well SOR-RY! I eat when I'm stressed! Besides, you can generate money out of your gem so what the problem is? Steven's probably wasted away by now because you took ten minutes to decide between steel cut oatmeal and one-minute oatmeal even though they're the same thing!"

"Don't even jo-" Pearl didn't get to finish her comeback, Amethyst had left her in the dust…literally.

"There's no way I'm letting her blame me for being so late!" she declared as she sprinted back to the house. She was able to catch up with the greedy gem due to having longer legs, but they still reached the base of the house at the same time.

"You're late" echoed an imposing voice.

Amethyst and Pearl finally took notice of their surroundings and saw little piles of the spacecraft scattered around the immediate area. Garnet hopped off the biggest pile and walked over to them.

"It's not my fault! She-" they said simultaneously but Garnet held her hand up and stopped their futile explanation.

"I don't care what happened. Let's hurry up and make Steven something to eat. I doubt those oranges will keep him satisfied for much longer" she stated.

The both grumbled in defeat, but Pearl asked "Wait…if you're out here…who's taking care of Steven?"

"Lapis obviously" she answered.

"What?! You can't be serious! How could you leave her alone with him?! What if she tries to brainwash him into thinking we're the bad gems?!" she panicked.

"Pearl, you're being ridiculous. She isn't a threat. If Lapis chooses to be a part of this team, we have to show we can trust her" Garnet explained.

But Pearl wasn't having any of it. She knew she left her alone last night with him, but that was because they were within earshot of anything possibly happening. Garnet was outside! Without a second thought she left the groceries on the shore and catapulted herself onto the beach house deck. She slammed the screen door open (she'll swallow her medicine about not slamming doors from Steven later) and the first thing she heard was moaning.

_"Oh no! That witch!"_ she thought as she ran up the stairs preparing to smite the traitor. When she reached the apex of the steps, she was caught off guard by the intense radiance of their gems. And the sound of Steven's laughter.

"Wha?" she simply said as she beheld the scene in front of her.

"Lapis, no more! My sides hurts!" he squealed as she continued to make those fart noises that were clearly entertaining him. He wrapped his hands around his waist to stifle his vocal gaiety. Once he caught his breath, he opened his eyes that were full of joyful tears and noticed Pearl standing behind Lapis.

"Pearl, you're back!"

Lapis quickly turned around, shocked that she didn't notice her presence.

"Uh" Pearl tried to form coherent words through her gaping mouth until Amethyst barged in the living room and yelled, "Yo Pearl! What's the big idea leaving the stuff behind?!"

"You…you two were glowing" she finally said.

Garnet heard that as she was putting the groceries away and smiled. She saw this as one of the possible outcomes; she'll wait to tell Pearl _"I told you so"_ later.

"Yeah! Isn't it awesome?! Garnet told me when you guys are happy, your gem glows like that! I saw yours and Amethyst's gem glow before you woke up! I'm glad I could make you happy!" he explained.

Pearl just turned blue, and a deep blue at that. "I-I'm going to make you breakfast now. H-how does oatmeal and applesauce s-sound?" she stammered.

"With cinnamon and sugar?" he asked.

"O-of course" she answered and quickly ran downstairs with her arms at her side. She entered the kitchen and took out the necessary supplies.

"Make me some too! Carrying your load was exhausting" said Amethyst as she hopped onto a bar stool.

But Pearl paid her no mind.

"Uh, Earth to P. Did you hear me?" she asked but was still ignored.

Pearl was filling the pot with water, but her mind wasn't concentrating on the water level.

"_Steven saw me glow…he saw me glow!"_ she thought but a firm hand on her shoulder brought her back to her senses.

"I think it's full" Garnet observed.

"Wha? Oh!" she turned off the faucet and poured the excess water out.

"Pearl, it's nothing to be ashamed of, you know that. This isn't home world." Garnet said.

"I know… I'm just so embarrassed. Do have any idea how hard it is not to do…that…when he's around?" she asked while her shoulders slumped.

"I know, but he doesn't see it as something to be embarrassed about. You heard the excitement in voice, he's thrilled by it" Garnet assured.

"…Just like Rose" she softly said with a smile.

"Wanna let me in on the secret?" an annoyed Amethyst asked.

"It's nothing, just enjoying the pleasant light show" Garnet said and Amethyst immediately understood.

"Oh! Well yea, that's always good. What'd be even better is having some OATMEAL IN MY MOUTH" she loudly stated so Pearl wouldn't miss it this time.

"I heard you the first time" she huffed.

It didn't take long for breakfast to be done since she got the one-minute oats and the applesauce was in an individual package.

Pearl combine the hot contents with milk and poured it into a tan ceramic bowl. She placed the bowl on a large plate and put the applesauce next to it.

"Hey! What about mine?" Amethyst asked.

"Fix your own bowl. I'm sure you'd want to add something more to it" she sharply replied.

Amethyst groaned but did as she was told.

Pearl proceeded to carefully walk up the stairs so as to not drop his meal. She placed it on his lap and he said, "Thanks Pearl, it smells great!"

"You're welcome" she said, feeling proud of herself. She, Lapis and Garnet sat around the bed and watched the boy eat like a caterpillar.

"Slow down Steven" chided Garnet but it fell on deaf ears. Understandably so.

"Ah…that hit the spot" he exhaled as he patted his belly.

"Are you sure you don't want anymore?" asked Pearl.

"I'm good, thank you though" he replied.

She grabbed the dishes from him and walked down to the kitchen. When she passed by Amethyst she was stunned at the concoction she created.

"What is that?!" she exclaimed as she stared at the food that could double as a science experiment.

"The Amethyst Special! Wanna try some?" she asked holding a spoonful of the multicolored goop.

"I'll pass" she said as she quickly placed the dishes in the sink and ran back up to Steven's room before she could shove some into her mouth as a sick joke.

"Your loss" she said as she dug in.

Back in Steven's room, everyone was just staring at him. "Uh, guys? I'm okay now, really. You don't need to sit and stare at me" he said.

"Oh, right" blushed Pearl.

"He is right. There's still plenty left to clean up. People will be coming back soon" Garnet stated. "Once Amethyst is done, we'll continue where I left off. Lapis-"

"Wait" she interrupted. "I-I want to help clean up too. I want to help protect Steven's home. So…I know we didn't start off on a good note, but that's in the past and the only way the past won't see today is if I let it go. I want to start a new life here on Earth, and I want to do that by being a member of your team…if you'll have me."

Steven had stars and diamonds in his eyes. Pearl was shocked into silence and Amethyst stopped eating when she heard her little speech.

But Garnet merely smiled and said, "Actually, I was going to ask if you could lend a hand."

She stood up and Lapis followed suite. Garnet extended Sapphire's gem embedded hand out and said, "Welcome to the Crystal Gems, Lapis" Lapis took the hand and shook it. It'll take some time for her to get used to that, but there was no turning back. She finally had a place that she could call home and where she could be free.

"Alright Lapis!" said the young gem hybrid as he gave her a tight hug, then immediately recoiled in pain.

"Steven!" they all said.

"Yeah…still can't do that. But don't worry, I'll have something planned out for your official coronation!" They all smiled at his joyful declaration. "But first things first. You need a star on your outfit! It's our lucky symbol!"

Lapis did as she was told and morphed the dark blue diamond on her dress into a dark blue star, with three points on the top half of her dress and two points on the bottom half.

"It looks great!" Steven exclaimed.

"Thank you Steven" she replied with a smile.

"Hey, I just thought of something. Since I technically regenerated, can I get a new outfit too?" he asked.

"No" everyone said in unison.

His face drooped when they said that. "Why?" he asked.

"It's just…oh I don't know how to say it" Pearl struggled to find the right words, so Garnet jumped in.

"Steven, I don't know if you noticed but every time we regenerate, our outfits show were we got hurt. Pearl's sash covers where she was stabbed and my new jumpsuit reveals where I got hit with that destabilizer. We're used to seeing those kind of changes on us, but not on you. We…don't want to be reminded of what happened to you yesterday every time we look at your outfit."

Steven understood, but then countered, "Well…what if you remember the good things that happened. Like Lapis joining our team or having our gems show how happy we are. Plus, that kind of traumatic event will stick to anybody, regardless if I'm wearing my old outfit."

"He has a point" Amethyst said as she swallowed the last of her meal.

Garnet mulled it over and said, "Alright. Once you're all better we'll go look for a new outfit for you."

"YES! Family shopping trip!" His infectious merry attitude once again ignited a fire inside their gemstones, causing them to glow. And no one stopped it. It created a dazzling aurora that rivaled the northern lights.

They say home is where the heart is, and theirs all belonged to Steven, illusion or not. And they wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**Lapis is now an official member of the team! With lots of fluffiness to boot! Who doesn't love kisses? I figured it's time for a break from all the anguish and heart stopping anxiety, so let's keep this love train going! Stay tuned.**

**I figured if Steven's healing powers could heal physical injuries, maybe he could heal mental ones as well depending on what he's trying to achieve, such as making them feel better. Just a thought.**

**Well, this is now my longest chapter. I hope you guys are ok with the length. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and a big shout out to all our service men and women putting their lives on the line to preserve our freedom so we can read, write and enjoy these stories. Thanks so much!**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	11. Chapter 11

The war-torn town of Beach City was still devoid of human life, even during the high-rise hours of the afternoon sun. Well…save for one determined girl who was sprinting across the half desert, half oasis landscape past all the advanced ship scraps.

_"Thank goodness for early release days"_ thought the intelligent youth.

Her lungs were on fire, and it didn't help that the sand created a natural resistance so her legs had to work twice as hard. But it didn't matter. All Connie cared about was reaching her only confidant, and most importantly her (and everyone else's for that matter) anonymous savior.

She could barely focus in school or at tennis practice today; the crisis from last night kept replaying in her mind. It would be a long time before she could un-see that, but all she wanted to see was Steven's smiling countenance. She tightened her grip on her satchel, dug in deep into her energy reserves and ran faster.

_"Almost there"_ she thought as the cliff side that housed the ancient temple came into view.

When she came around the corner, she immediately skidded to a stop with dust billowing around her. Her irises shrank at the sight of four humongous water hands rising out of the ocean.

_"Oh no…not again!"_ she thought.

All four hands slammed the shore with a resounding blow. Mist and sand particles sprayed everywhere; she had to cover her lens-less eyes from the oncoming debris. But unbeknownst to her, that crash also sent mammoth sizes pieces of the space ship right at her!

Before she could clear the mini obstructions in her eyes, she was swiftly cradled into a muscular body. When the jarring movements ceased, she opened her eyes and saw her reflection in familiar pink sunglasses.

"G-Garnet?!" she breathed out. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, causing her heart rate to accelerate. "Garnet! What's going on?! Are you guys fighting a monster?! Where's Steven?!" she asked while trying to squirm out of her iron grip. Her heightened yet uninhibited senses were making her act like Pearl.

"Shhh….it's ok" Garnet assured and Connie's nerves were calmed a little bit by her stoicism. "Hey! Halt the cleanup!" she commanded and instantly the four water arms retreated back into the ocean.

"Aw what?! Why?! I was winning Bumper Scrap Crop!" came an irritated, yet familiar reply.

Two figures emerged out of the remaining dust cloud. Connie immediately recognized an unamused Amethyst with arms crossed over her chest, but her face paled when she saw the blue wielder of the water.

"This is why" Garnet replied as she carefully set Connie down onto the grainy ground.

Amethyst's uncovered eye went wide when she saw Connie and understood the situation. Lapis' eyes went wide too, but for a different. She subconsciously placed her hands behind her back while nervously shifting one foot back and forth against the sand.

Garnet explained, "She was almost crushed by our little… "game". We need to be more careful."

Amethyst ran her hand through hair, guilt building up inside of her. I mean, what would Steven do if they hurt his friend? "Aw jeez, sorry about that Connie" she sheepishly apologized.

"Huh? Oh, yea. Don't worry about it, I should've been watching where I was going" Connie distractedly replied. Her eyes were still focused on the apprehensive ocean stealer. "But…um…why is **she** here?"

If her mother were here, she would've reprimanded her for that rude question, but she couldn't help herself. She faintly recalled Lapis giving her mom a rundown of the onset of Steven's condition, but all that stuck with her was the amount of pain he was in.

"She's a crystal gem now" Garnet replied.

"What?! But she almost drowned me and Steven!" she childishly retorted.

Lapis flinched from the accusatory tone in her voice; regret bubbled up inside of her, manifesting itself into little tears.

Garnet bent down to Connie's level and explained, "Connie. We are well aware of the mistakes she's made. But Steven believed that she was worth **sacrificing his life** **for**."

That hit her hard. She knew Steven could be a bit quirky, but she **never** questioned his judgement because he always wanted to protect everyone, even if they didn't deserve it.

"He didn't see her as an enemy and neither do we. She's an invaluable member of our family, and we wouldn't have it any other way." Garnet finished while standing up. Lapis chocked back the sobs, touched by the sincerity in her voice.

Lapis took a step forward and instinctively Connie grabbed Garnet's leg for protection. "Connie…I'm sorry for what I've done. In my blind pursuit of trying to get home, I was completely oblivious to the lives I put at risk, including yours. And what makes it worse is that even after I got back to home world, thanks to Steven's kindness, it wasn't my home anymore. After witnessing the love this family has…I wanted to be a part of it…to protect it so that home world doesn't destroy it. I know words are meaningless if I don't follow through, and I know I may never earn your trust…but please. I ask you for your forgiveness and a second chance."

When she said that, Connie felt a familiar ache in her core. All her young life, she wanted acceptance from other people that weren't her parents. Regardless of her constant moving, no other child gave her a chance to show what she was all about. And it devastated her. She had all but given up until Steven sought **her** out, and actually **wanted **to be friends. Now here was Lapis basically asking the same thing, albeit due to different circumstances.

On impulse, she flung herself at the forlorn gem and gave her a big hug across her waist. Lapis was taken aback by the motion for a moment, but quickly melted into the embrace. Actions speaking louder than words rang true in this instance. Connie vowed that she would **never** be like those other kids, that she would give everyone a chance…just like Steven. Thinking about him reminded her why she came in the first place. She released Lapis from her hold and they each gave an understanding smile coupled with a slight nod.

"Is Steven ok?" she asked.

"Yep, little dude's fast asleep" answered Amethyst.

"What? But how?" she asked.

"Well…he was tired and you go to sleep when you're tir-"

"No no, I meant how could he sleep when you guys are out here cleaning?" she asked. Steven must be one heck of a heavy sleeper if he can sleep through an earthquake that's ten feet away from his house.

"Oh, that. We bubbled him" Amethyst answered casually.

"Wh-wh-what?!" she stuttered. An unconscious Steven floating around in a bubble was **not** a pretty visualization.

"Yea, take a look" she said as she pointed her thumb toward the beach house. She looked in the direction and saw a massive multicolored bubble surrounding the house.

_"Whoa…how did I not notice that?"_ she thought. Well…she _was_ distracted.

"The bubble acts as a sound barrier so he can't hear nor feel anything going on outside." Garnet explained.

"Oh" she said in relief. Then she hesitantly asked, "I-is it ok if I go in and see him?"

"Sure! In fact, now that you're here Pearl can stop being a stalking bird mom" chuckled Amethyst.

"Bird…mom?" Connie asked.

"What she means is that you can look after him while Pearl helps with the cleanup" Garnet clarified.

"You mean Bumper Scrap Crop. Hey Lapis, make more pieces fly my way" Amethyst said as she slightly nudged the blue gem with her elbow.

Lapis stiffened a bit; she was still a bit uncomfortable with these little gestures. But the awkward feeling fled and she merely smiled at her and walked back out onto the ocean.

"Thank you!" Connie said as she ran up to the bubbled abode. When she reached the shield, she cautiously placed one finger against it. The last thing she wanted to do was pop it. But true to the gems' word, the bubble was permeable as her hand went through without any issue. The rest of her body followed suit and she went up the wooden stairs. She was about to knock, but figured that it might startle them. Instead she slowly opened the screen door and let herself in.

"Pearl?" she quietly called out.

She looked up towards Steven's bedroom and saw the gem staring intently at the lump under the covers. She tiptoed up the stairs and quietly repeated, "Pearl?" Pearl jumped a bit at the sound of her name; the slight surprise almost made Connie fall backwards down the stairs.

Once she saw the one who called her she sighed in relief "Connie, it's you…"

"I'm sorry Pearl, I didn't mean to startle you" Connie whispered so as though not to startle the other inhabitant in the house.

"No, it's ok. I thought you were Amethyst. She has a habit of sneaking up on me when I'm…distracted" Pearl assured. She resumed her vigil over Steven and Connie knelt down beside her.

"How's he been?" Connie asked.

"He's fine, he had breakfast around nine this morning and he's been asleep ever since. He's still in some pain though…" Connie focused her gaze back onto Steven and gripped the edge of her shorts. She still couldn't believe everything that happened to him…

"Connie"

"Yes?"

"I know I said it this morning, but I'm truly grateful for what you and your mom did. I know it was hard for you to see that and I admire your strength to see it through to the end." Pearl said as she rubbed Connie's back, trying to ease her concerns.

"Thanks Pearl. I just…I think this whole experience made me realize how much of this stuff is **real**. You'd think I would've realized that a while ago when Lapis took the ocean, but now… It's insane how much danger you guys go through. The way Steven talks about the missions you guys go on makes it seem like a piece of cake. But now I know that there's always that chance that I could lose him…" she griped her shorts tighter as she closed her eyes and tried to push the image of Steven's lifeless body out of her mind.

Pearl grabbed her in a one arm hug and said, "Connie, I promise you that **nothing **will ever happen to him." Connie hummed in response, but she knew that it was a futile promise. So long as he had that desire to protect others, danger would always follow him.

They stayed like for a few moments until Connie remembered what Garnet said. "Hey Pearl? Garnet told me to tell you that they need your help with the cleanup. I can watch him, if that's ok?"

"What? B-but" She knew she couldn't disobey Garnet's command, especially since the people will be returning soon and having advanced gem tech scattered everywhere could be fatal to them. But she didn't want to leave Steven.

Connie saw Pearl's internal struggle about leaving him. She didn't want to play this card but she didn't have any choice. "And Amethyst said to stop being a…stalking…bird mom…"

"What?!" she yelled then immediately covered her mouth. Luckily for her, Steven didn't stir. "That little…I'm going to give her a piece of my mind! I'm not stalking! I'm-" Pearl furiously walked out the door before Connie could hear the rest of her rant.

* * *

_"Sorry Amethyst…"_ she thought as she took over the vigil. A moment later her tummy rumbled. _"Oh…right"_ she thought; due to her distraught state of mind, she forgot to eat something for lunch. That also reminded her of what she was carrying in her satchel. But before she could get up and place the contents in the refrigerator, she saw Steven shifting in the covers. _"Really?!"_ she thought; it would be pretty embarrassing if her hunger noises woke him up. And unfortunately it did.

"Yawwwwnnn…mmmmm" he said as he smacked his lips together. He slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a multicolored sky. "Whaa? Is it time for dinner already?" he groggily said.

Connie snickered when she heard him, trust him to immediately think about food. Then she said, "In Japan it is."

Steven turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. "Hey Steven…" she smiled.

His eyes got starry and he exclaimed "CONNIE!" He tried to sit up too quickly and a rush of vertigo caused him to resume the laying position.

"Steven! Are you ok?" she asked hovering over him.

"Yea…I'm ok. Just got a little head rush" he said chuckling it off. Once he realized it was just them he asked, "Where is everyone?"

"They're outside picking up all the ship parts" she answered. Steven frowned at that and stared out the window.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

He sighed, "I wish I was out there…I wanna help too…"

"Stop" she commanded and Steven gave her his full attention. "You did help. You **saved** them and everyone else on the planet! _Including me_…" she added while holding his hand. She blushed at the contact, his warmth spreading throughout her body. "The only thing you have to do is get better. I know you don't like it, but even Capt. Oliver and his little plant people needed to rest after finding ship parts all day." He nodded when she said that; he was so used to going going going all the time. "And besides, I'm 100% sure that if you went outside the gems would throw you back through the bubble and into bed."

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Bubble? What bubble?"

"The gems bubbled your house so you wouldn't hear the cleanup going on outside" she said, then thought _"…And possibly the shouting match between Pearl and Amethyst_."

"Ohhh…that's why the sky is all kinds of different colors. I thought it was sunset."

"Not yet, it's 1:30pm"

"What?! I slept that long?! I missed lunch!" And his gurgling tummy signified that.

"You and me both. But don't worry! My mom made some sockeye salmon stew for lunch and she said it was ok to bring you some." She took out a medium sized, cube shaped Tupperware container with a red lid. It contained the red broth stew and Steven was already drooling in anticipation. His nostrils were being filled with the delectable waft from the semi-permeable clear container.

Then he realized, "Wait. Why didn't you eat lunch yet?"

"Oh…I was really worried about you, so I didn't have much of an appetite. And don't you dare apologize! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be worrying right now. Wait…no. That came out wrong."

Steven understood what she meant, but there was that small amount guilt that was gnawing at his core. "Still…"

"Steven. I'll admit that I didn't know what I was getting myself into when we became friends. Everything in your life is so awesome and magical…and dangerous too. But I wouldn't have it any other way. You're my friend Steven, and I want to be a part of your universe, good times and the bad." She smiled and Steven followed suit with a small grin of his own. But the moment was broken when their stomachs let them know that they were still empty. "Heh, let me go heat this up" Connie said and she made downstairs and into the kitchen.

Steven just watched her worked, truly grateful to have someone in his life other than his family that genuinely cared about him. After a few minutes the soup was hot enough to eat. Connie was about to bring it up to him, but Steven insisted that he eat at the table. Once she saw the fiery determination in his eyes, there was no way she could deny his request.

He meticulously got out of bed, his muscles weak from the extended period of inactivity. Connie offered a shoulder and thankfully he wasn't stubborn enough to refuse it. She saw him grimace with each step, sweat beads forming on his forehead. But he kept on fighting through it. That's when she realized that he needed this small victory, just to prove to himself that he wasn't weak. It doesn't matter if others tell you that you're not feeble, if you don't believe for yourself then its just wasted breath.

They settled on eating in the living room since there would be no way that he could climb onto one of the bar stools. She grabbed a couple of cushions off the couch and put them on the floor. Steven was able to sit Indian-style on his own while Connie brought the bowls over, each setting coupled with single serving of saltine crackers.

"Thanks for the soup, Connie" Steven beamed.

"Your welcome" she replied, thrilled that some of his spark was coming back.

She put her hands together and said, "I_tadakimasu!"_ before digging in.

"Uh…what does that mean?" he asked.

Swallowing her spoonful she replied, "It means "Thank you for this food".

"Oh! Well then" he clapped his hands together and said, "Gracias!"

"Gracias?"

"Yea, there was this Mexican place called "Aqua Mexican" and the store owners would always say gracias after a customer ordered something. I found out later that it means thank you so I'm thankful for this food in a different language!"

Connie laughed at that. Steven could be such a goof, but that's what made him special.

They managed to clean out the entire Tupperware container; Steven had three bowls while Connie was full after one.

"Man that hit the spot, my compliments to the chef!" he said as he kissed his fingers to the air.

Connie chuckled at his familiar antics and said, "I'll be sure to tell her."

She cleared the table while he drank the remaining water out of his cup. Drinking all that liquid finally had that undesired effect on him, so slowly made his way to the restroom while Connie did the dishes. Once that business was done, she helped him walk back to his bed and laid him down.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I got you something." She reached into her bag and pulled out a stuffed bear.

"Time doctor bear bear!" he gleefully hollered as he received the gift out of her precious hands.

"I just wanted to get you something, I know it's not much but…"

"Are you kidding?! This is awesome! Thank you Connie! I'd hug you if it didn't hurt" he replied clutching the white lab coat, bow-tied, hourglass watch wearing bear to his cheek. She blushed at the compliments, glad that she could get his mind off of what happened.

Soon a yawn escaped Steven's lips. "Nooo…I don't wanna go back to sleep!" he complained.

"How about I read to you?" she suggested.

"Yea! Which book is it?" he excitedly asked with starry eyes.

"I think you'll like it! It's a continuation of "Unfamiliar Familiar" where Lisa and Archemicherus' half falcon/half human son, Atticus, continues the fight against the newly reformed Vines Authority. I just finished the first book and the next one will be out next month!"

"Cool! Let's get started!"

She nodded and reached into her bag to pull out the hard cover book. "Ahem" but before she could start she saw an envelope in between the cover and the first page.

"What's that?" asked Steven.

"I don't know, but it's for you…from my mom!"

She handed the envelope to him and he gingerly opened it, making sure not to damage the contents inside. In big bold letter is read, "DOCTOR'S BILL" "Doctor's bill?! But I don't have any money!" he worriedly said.

"What?! I'm sure it's a joke, what does it say?"

"Hmmm…it says: _payment is to continue to be a good friend to my daughter. You have touched her life in ways that I couldn't and I want her to continue to grow with you. But DON'T get any funny ideas. And if you don't rest for the five days I prescribed I will strap you to the bed! I'll follow up with you soon._ Signed Dr. Maheswaran."

When Steven lowered the paper, Connie was beet red. "I…touched your life?" he asked.

"Well…yea! Steven, because of you I've become a more confident person and I'm not afraid of sharing my feelings anymore. Like I said before, I want to be by your side. It feels like you were my missing puzzle piece…you complete me."

Steven was at a loss for words, but his flushed face spoke volumes on his behalf. He scratched the back of his head and looked in every direction except in her sincere eyes. "Well…uh…yea, I'd like that too. Friends forever?" he meekly asked while extending his pinkie out.

She grasped his pinky with her own and pulled herself forward closer to his face. In a bold move she placed a small kiss on his forehead and replied, "Friends forever."

They were both as red as tomatoes, and had goofy grins on their faces…but they didn't care. Their laughter magnified their blissful mood and Steven's gem subtly amplified that.

* * *

_Back Outside_

The three original members of the crystal gems looked at the larges piles of ship parts against the backdrop of the twilight sky.

"Garnet wins again" the stoic gem smirked.

"Whatever! If Pearl wasn't arguing with me I would've won" pouted Amethyst.

"Excuse me?! You're the one who started it by calling me a bird mom! What does that even mean?!" Pearl demanded.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out" Amethyst replied with a Cheshire grin.

"UGH!" Pearl threw up her hands and walked away from this pointless discussion back to the temple.

Garnet turned to Lapis and said, "Thank you Lapis. You made this process easy and fun."

Lapis blushed and replied "Y-you're welcome, but it was Amethyst's idea to turn it into a game."

"Yea, but you executed it perfectly, even though I told you to give me more pieces…" Amethyst said half seriously.

"The dice rolls where it wants to Amethyst. Don't be a sore loser" Garnet said and Amethyst walked away in a huff.

Lapis and Garnet followed suit to see their little brother. It was a challenge to try and convince Pearl that everything was ok with Connie in charge, but it wasn't until Amethyst boasted that she could gather more ship parts than her that her competitiveness won over her concerns. They dispelled the bubble and walked on in.

"Connie? Steven?" Pearl called out but was immediately shushed by Garnet. She pointed up toward Steven's loft and they went on up.

What they saw made Lapis and Garnet smile, Amethyst giggle, and Pearl blush uncomfortably.

Steven and Connie were fast asleep on top of his bed with the book tent-style on top of her stomach.

"What were they doing?!" whispered Pearl.

"By the looks of it, enjoying a really good book" commented Garnet.

"Yea, P. You really got to get your mind out gutter" said Amethyst.

"My mind is not in anything! I'm just saying that don't you think this is a little inappropriate?" she asked.

"Pearl, these are children that experienced a harrowing ordeal. Of course they'd be exhausted. Just the fact that they can be at peace after all that should get rid of anything else going on in your head" Garnet stated.

Pearl looked down out of shame. She's right. Steven and Connie aren't like other humans; they were raised well and have innocent hearts.

Lapis came over with a blue sheet she found in one of the cabinets and draped it over the sleeping pair. "…I'm really glad I'm a part of this family. To be able to protect something as pure as this is rewarding." Lapis said and everyone hummed in agreement.

For now they would leave the duo to their peaceful slumber until it was time to separate them for the night. Even if they were at opposite ends of the country, the friendship in Steven's and Connie's hearts would always unite them as one.

* * *

**More fluff to the 100th power! Next chapter is the shopping trip so stay tuned! And I based the bumper scrap crop game on the Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards mini game where they catch fruit. Huh, Crystal Shards...Crystal Gems...yea it's 1 in the morning and my brain just made this connection.  
**

**I'm really glad that you guys are enjoying this story so much, but I don't know if I should be concerned or flattered that I'm causing folks to roll around in a pool of tears. Well, I hope this chapter made you feel ooey-gooey without being covered in robanoid goop.  
**

**Also, I had no idea how to spell whatever Connie said in "Winter Forecast" or what it means, so clarification on that is most appreciated.**

**See ya next week!**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	12. Chapter 12

"Aaaaahhhh…" said the recovering youth as the experienced doctor depressed his tongue with a Popsicle stick. The sun's rays had barely begun bathing the city in its golden hue when Dr. Maheswaran came over to do her follow up.

"Hmmmm" she said as she held her mini flashlight to examine his throat and uvula. Then she took out her otoscope to check out his eyes and ears. "Mm hmmm"

Every syllable, even every breath that came out of Dr. Maheswaran's mouth added to the building anticipation inside the beach house. This time the gems were allowed to be indoors, so long as they remained in the living room. But soon that anticipation turned into a heart-stopping anxiety.

"Ugh, when is she gonna be done?" asked Amethyst. She was laying on top of the cushions twirling the ends of her long locks in her fingers, acting completely bored out of her mind.

"She just started" Garnet responded, but the slight edge in her voice spoke of her impatience with the process as well.

Amethyst let out an annoyed sigh; her emotions always fluctuated in stressful situations and having Pearl run a hole in the floor with her pacing didn't help. "Pearl, would you give it a rest?" she said and Pearl stopped. She thought she was going to snap at her for being insensitive or something, but her response surprised her.

"…I know, I know. We followed Dr. Maheswaran's instructions to a T and gave him the necessary time to rest, but I can't help it. I'm just…worried."

Her heart went out to her; she was secretly worried as well, but as usual she put on a façade to mask her true feelings.

Garnet tried to remain stoic, but her rapid, agitated foot tapping mirrored the fear her two halves shared.

Lapis was outside on the deck staring at the serene ocean. She couldn't be in that house right now, the whole scenario created an immense amount of invisible pressure - almost as if one of her gem-created water hands was crushing the inside of their home; it was suffocating.

They still couldn't believe that it had already been almost a week since Jasper nearly killed him. So much has happened that, to beings that didn't pay attention to the concept of time, it seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. They managed to eradicate all of the ship pieces by throwing them into the boiling lava lake. They did find Peridot's escape pod in the middle of a field on the outskirts of town, and they promptly destroyed it. But the green gem still eluded them.

And thankfully Steven's health was improving drastically. He was almost back to his normal size due to all the food he consumed. He had a bit more muscle definition, like a mini gladiator, due to the regeneration process sucking up all his reserve fat cells as well as what he ate. Nothing a couple of donuts couldn't fix.

"Can you flex your bicep and hold it for me?" asked Dr. Maheswaran. Steven did as he was told and held it for about fifteen seconds til his arm gave out from the strain.

"Can you sit on the edge of the bed so I can check your reflexes?" He shifted his position so his feet were hanging off the right edge of his bed. She took out her reflex hammer and struck his right leg, right on the tendon between the patella and the tibia. The impact caused his quad muscle to contract and slightly raise his leg up and down. "Hmmmm"

The gems waited with baited breath when they heard Dr. Maheswaran close her medical bag. Lapis saw her descend into the living room through the window and went inside just as she was about to explain her results.

"He has a clean bill of health" she stated and the gems let out their collective breaths.

"However" they stiffened up. Why does there always have to be a catch?

"He has very minimal muscle atrophy, but that's completely normal for someone who has been limited on physical activity and nothing a little playtime can't fix. So long as you ease into it!" she stressed as she noticed Amethyst jubilantly fist pump the air. "He can eat solid foods now, and I highly recommend that he has plenty of lean meats such as chicken and fish to rebuild his muscle mass. Also, limit the amount of junk food he eats, such as donuts."

She heard him groan; she looked at him said, "I said "limit" not "eliminate". You can still eat them, just in moderation."

"Alright!" he said with starry eyes.

The gems nodded in agreement with her recommendations. "Thank you doctor" said Garnet as she extended Ruby's gem embedded hand out.

Dr. Maheswaran smiled and said "Your welcome" as she shook it. "And Steven, Connie will see you in a few days; she has a tennis tournament to attend."

"Ok! Tell her I said good luck and to use her overhead death strike!" he beamed.

"…Yes…I'll be sure to tell her" she responded, trying to figure out what in the world those two do together. Well, as long as she's having fun that's all that matters. "I'll see all of you later, but hopefully not like this" she said as she reached for the door.

"Trust us, you **won't**" Garnet assured. Dr. Maheswaran nodded and let herself out.

Once she was far away from the temple, Amethyst launched herself up to Steven's room and affectionately pounced on him. "You're ok! You're ok!" she joyfully repeated as she hugged him.

"He won't be if you keep squeezing him!" Pearl chided.

Steven just laughed as Amethyst messed with his hair. Garnet ascended to his room as well and placed her hand on Amethyst's shoulder. She understood and moved out of the way so she could embrace him. She placed multiple kisses all over his face and he giggled through all of them.

"Um…may I?" Lapis hesitantly asked and Garnet happily handed him over to her. She gently cradled him to her delicate frame and just stroked his hair; it was simply a pulchritudinous sensation.

A sensation that Pearl so desperately wanted to experience. But she felt she had to have some self-control, especially after the comment she made. She turned her back to them, thinking that if she didn't see them, she wouldn't give in. That is until she heard Lapis hum in contentment. That spiked her jealousy levels all the up to ten. She ran up the stairs and almost wrestled him away from her, but stopped herself and merely held her arms out like a child wanting candy. Lapis released him and he jumped into her arms. That caused her to blush and she swayed side to side while holding him tight.

"I'm so glad you're okay" she whispered and he moved his face out of the crook of her neck and gave her a soft smile. He noticed faint multicolored lights floating around the room, but didn't say anything; just enjoyed the moment.

Once the light disappeared he remembered, "OH! We can go shopping now right?"

All of them smiled and Garnet said, "Of course we can. We'll leave as soon as you're dressed."

He hopped out of Pearl's arms and ran downstairs to his closet. Before anyone could say "Cookie Cat," he was dressed in his signature style raring to go. "Oh man! I'm so ready for this! It's gonna be so much fun!" he squealed as he hopped up and down in the living room.

The gems smiled at his enthusiasm and Amethyst said, "Yea, buddy! I'm gonna make you look so fly!"

"Amethyst, it's physically imposs-"

"It's a saying Pearl, sheesh" Amethyst said cutting off Pearl's naivety.

Pearl puffed her cheeks out and muttered, "I knew that…"

"Alright! Let's go!" he shouted as he marched toward the door.

"But Steven, where are we going?" asked Lapis.

"We're going to the mall. It's a big building that has a lot of different stores inside. But…it's all the way on the other side of town…" he realized. He crossed his arms in deep thought. How were they going to get there? Dad has to work and bringing Lion to a place where a lot people are doesn't seem like a good idea; plus I don't think he'd be into shopping.

"Uh Steven? You do remember we're gem warriors right? I can hop you over there lickety split" said Amethyst holding her head up high.

"Pffft, As if! I could get him there faster and most importantly, **safely**" said Pearl.

"Is that challenge?"

Pearl smirked at her and it was on.

"Alright, if I win you have to eat escargot, the perfect meal for a slowpoke like you!" Amethyst declared.

Pearl shuddered and almost gagged at the thought of a slimy mollusk going down her throat. "Fine! But if I win you have to **clean** up your room! And I mean my **standard** of clean!" she demanded.

"My room is clean! You just don't appreciate my organizational system!" she retorted. "But whatever, it ain't gonna happen anyway so it's a deal!"

They shook hands and turned around and said "Ste-?"

He wasn't there. In fact Lapis and Garnet were gone too. "What the?!" they said. They ran out the door just in time to see Lapis fly off the beach with Steven while Garnet waved.

"Garnet, where is she taking him?!" asked Pearl.

"To the mall" she flatly replied.

"But" she began to protest but was cut off.

"Look. Steven's been looking forward to this outing all week and I won't let your petty wager ruin it. You two were about to put him on the spot to make him choose between the two of you, and then he would've been worried whether or not he offended someone. So I snuck them out in the middle of your smack talk and told them to go on ahead."

Pearl and Amethyst looked down in shame. "Sorry Garnet" said Amethyst.

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Steven by making sure he has a good time." They nodded in agreement. "Besides…there's no way you two could beat me" she said before taking off in a lightning sprint.

**cough cough cough** Once the dust settled, the pair of gems were left with their mouths wide open, completely dumbstruck.

"What the?" asked Amethyst.

"Did she just say?" concluded Pearl.

"Oh it is ON!" the simultaneously said.

Garnet noticed them catching up and smiled, pleased that her plan to redirect their squabble into a friendlier competition worked. But there was no way she was going to lose!

* * *

_Meanwhile_

"WOOOOHOOOO! THIS IS AMAZING!" Steven squealed as he clung onto Lapis' back like a baby koala.

Lapis was enjoying herself as well; she loved the wind flowing over her skin. This is what true freedom was and she closed her eyes, relishing the special moment she was sharing with her bosom buddy.

"Lapis, look out!" She snapped her eyes open, but couldn't evade the cloud in time and flew right through it.

"Steven! Are you ok?!" she worriedly asked.

He just chuckled and said, "I'm good! I forgot clouds were made of water. Hey, does that mean you can control clouds too?"

"Um…I don't know. In theory I guess I could, but that's beside the point! Are you sure you're okay?" She couldn't bear it if she caused him to be bedridden for another week.

"Lapis, I'm okay. A little wet, but okay. I should be dry by the time we get there" he assured her.

She took his word for it since she couldn't turn her head to see him and continued her trajectory, this time being more vigilant about sky borne obstacles.

"Lapis, can you do a loop de loop? Pleeeeeease?" She about to tell him no, but somehow she could feel his pleading, puppy dog eyes stare straight into her soul. She sighed, no one was immune to that.

"Alright, hang on!" She accelerated with a few flaps from water wings and soon ascended backwards to perform the circular motion that Steven spoke of. He laughed and made incoherent sounds as the wind expanded his mouth.

"That was awesome!" he yelled when they leveled out. "I wish I could fly like you."

"Well, if you shape shifted into a creature that was capable of flight you could" she said.

"Why didn't you do that when you wanted to leave the planet the first time?" he asked.

"I…I…" She didn't know. Without a doubt it would've caused him and Connie a lot less pain. She was just…so confused. A bunch of emotions were running through her head at the time so she only went with what she was comfortable with, her natural powers.

"Oh, duh! Your gem was cracked, so you couldn't shape shift!" he said trying to erase the awkwardness he created.

"Yea…" she responded.

They flew in silence for a few moments until she asked, "So, do you have an idea of what kind of outfit you want?"

"No clue, but that's OK! You guys can help me pick one out!"

"Oh…I don't know about that. I'm not very knowledgeable in human fashions…or fashions in general for that matter" she said dejectedly.

"What are you talking about? Your outfit suits you perfectly! Your dress has a subtle elegance to it which matches your personality; you're quiet and calm on the outside and that conceals this awesome power you have on the inside! Plus when you walk, the ripples that show in the fabric look like ocean waves" he explained.

"I…never thought of myself that way…" she responded.

Steven thought he may have pushed the wrong buttons again, but the glow emanating from her gem dismissed his worries.

"Hey, there it is!" he blurted out.

Lapis looked down and saw the large shopping complex with dozens upon dozens of people entering and exiting the main building. Lapis decided to land in an empty part of the parking lot so as not to draw any attention to themselves; she'd never been around this many humans before. Then again, Steven was the first 'human' she really interacted with.

He hopped off her back and surveyed the area with his hand creating a mini visor. "Huh. I wonder where-"

Before he could finish his question Garnet landed right across from him, with Pearl and Amethyst landing a couple seconds later.

"Don't. Say. Anything" muttered Amethyst when she noticed Garnet's sly smile.

"Hey you guys!" he said as he ran up next to them.

Garnet smiled and said, "Sorry we're late"

"Don't worry, we just got here too! We did loop de loops and flew through a cloud!" he explained with excitement laced in his voice.

Pearl gave Lapis an incredulous look and she shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"I'm glad you had a good time. Ready for more?" asked Garnet, dispelling the tension.

"Yea! Let's go!" he said. They all walked across the white-striped black asphalt and entered the arena of regalia.

* * *

"So Steven, where do you want to start?" asked Garnet as they were walking around the indoor plaza.

"Hmmmm" he pondered as he looked around the various stores.

"AAAAAAH!" screamed Pearl.

"What?! What's wrong?!" asked Steven.

"LOOK!" she said pointing at the store called Leeds's and Son.

"A…jewelry store?" he asked not getting her hysteria. Luckily for them there weren't a bunch of people around so that she wouldn't cause a scene.

"What kind of technology do humans have to take out gems?! And why would they wear them?!" she asked.

Steven blocked Pearl's advances so she wouldn't interrogate the store owner and get them kicked out. "Pearl, it's okay! Those aren't gems! Well, I mean they are, but not like you guys! They're just rocks! They're not alive and they never were! People like to wear them as accessories, y'know to make'em look better" he explained.

Pearl was still absolutely mortified but accepted his explanation. "Let's go **this** way" she said and briskly walked away from the little shop of horrors.

Soon Amethyst saw a store with various graphic t-shirts on display. "Now THIS looks like a cool shop!" she said.

"Scorching Matter?" asked Steven.

"Yea! Don't worry Ste-man, I'll hook you up!" she said as she dragged him inside. The remaining gems gave each other worrisome glances and they followed suit.

The sound of metal music was repelling to Pearl, but Garnet bobbed her head to the beat. Lapis' curiosity got the better as she started to examine the different prints on the articles of clothing.

_"Why is there a green dog holding a pig talking about doom?"_ she wondered.

"Finding everything okay?" asked one of the store associates.

"Huh? Oh yes…I'm okay" she answered.

"Alright, let me know if I can help you out." She nodded and he was on his way to assist another customer. Lapis went back over to the safety of group before another human could engage in another conversation with her.

Meanwhile Amethyst was looking up and down the wall racks to find the perfect outfit.

"Hey Amethyst! Look at these!" Steven said. She turned around and saw him wearing sunglasses that look like it had window blinds. "Now I look like Master of Ceremonies Bear Bear!"

"HA! That's funny dude! You should give'em to Garnet" she suggested, wanting to see her reaction to the silly shades.

"…Naw. They're kinda hard to see through plus I don't want her to feel self-conscious about her third eye" he said as he put them back.

Her heart softened when he said that. "Yea, you're right. Why don't you get a changing room, I just need one more thing to make this outfit da bomb!"

"Okay!" he said and grabbed the associate that spoke to Lapis. He escorted them to the changing area and Amethyst showed up a moment later with surprisingly a small stack of clothes.

"_She must've used a lot of will power not to grab the whole store_" thought Pearl as Amethyst handed the outfit to Steven. He went inside and looked at what Amethyst picked for him.

"Huh…interesting" he said looking at the assortment of clothes and proceeded to get dressed.

"C'mon Steven! I want to show off how cool you look!" yelled Amethyst and a moment later he came out. "Aw yeah!" Amethyst said as she nodded in approval. "So, whatcha think?"

Garnet was expressionless. Lapis just stared at the boy with wide eyes. Even with her lack of experience in fashion, she could tell that this **wasn't** right. And Pearl felt the same way as she smacked her forehead in exasperation.

"I think it's tight" responded Garnet.

"Heck yea it is!" she said.

"What?! She means he can't breathe!" explained a very agitated Pearl.

Steven agreed with her as he unbuttoned his black skinny jeans to let his stomach out. In addition to that he was wearing black, fingerless gloves, a red/purple striped tank top with a grey holey one layered on top of it. He had silver spiked wristbands, a necklace with a lock pendant, and he was wearing pink/purple sparkly shoes with ponies on it. To complete the look he had a long black overcoat with flames at the ends that pooled around his feet.

"Uh…" was the only thing he could say as he at himself looked in the mirror.

"Explain this" demanded Pearl.

"I will! So I was thinking about that new power he unlocked, y'know that spiky bubble? So I incorporated that into the outfit. The flames are just a necessity to awesomeness. I picked the pony shoes to symbolize that underneath all this hardcore coolness was a soft, sensitive guy. And the lock necklace to show that no one is gonna take him from us!" she explained.

The gems absorbed everything that was told to them and Steven said, "…I like the lock necklace. Maybe we can find one that's not so…bulky."

"That's about the only thing I agree with. Everything else is a no go" deemed Pearl.

"Why?" demanded Amethyst.

"Look at him! He can barely move!" she pointed out.

"So he needs a bigger pant size! Big deal!" she retorted.

"Steven" Garnet said halting their personal argument. "Do you like it?" He vehemently shook his head. "Then that's that. We'll try another store. Go on and change back" she said. Steven went back into the changing room and put his regular clothes back on.

"Sorry Amethyst" he said. He wanted to like it, but it was just too much.

"Don't worry about it, little guy. There are plenty of places to choose from, so let's get to it" she replied and he was relieved that he didn't upset her.

They walked around for a bit until Garnet stopped and said, "How about this one?"

"Superstar Sport Co.? Okay, let's try it!" he said and they all went inside the athletic apparel store.

"Whoooaaa" Steven marveled as he looked around.

This place had every kind of uniform and sports equipment imaginable. Garnet went off to look for something for Steven, whereas he dragged the rest of the gems to some sports simulation games.

"Lapis! You should try this one!" he said as he gave her a basketball for the three-point contest simulator.

"What do I do?" she asked as she examined the black-striped orange ball.

"You try and throw the ball through the hoop, but don't your full strength or you might break it" he explained as he put a quarter in and activated the game.

The backboard moved back and Lapis threw the ball at the target. Surprisingly, it went in! "Woohoo, keep it up Lapis!" he cheered as she grabbed the next ball. Her motion was just so fluid; she only missed three shots. "Wow, 36 points! You rock Lapis!" She blushed when Steven ran around her cheering her name.

"Pshh! I got this! My turn!" declared Amethyst but Steven said, "Wait! How about this one? It's soccer and in this one you can kick the ball!" She liked the sound of that and she followed him over to the simulator. He put a quarter in and the plastic goalie figure moved from side to side. With careful precision she blasted the ball right past the goal keeper. She kept firing until the clock ran out of time.

"Whoooa, that's was so awesome! You've got an iron leg!" he praised.

"What can I say?" she said as she ruffled his hair.

"Pearl, do you want to try one?" he inquired.

"No, thank you. I don't find amusement in any of these sports" she replied.

"In other words, she sucks" snickered Amethyst.

"I do not suck! It's just that none of these games match my skill set!" she retorted.

"What about the tennis one? It's kinda like sword fighting but instead of deflecting blows, you have to hit the ball back over the net" he suggested.

"…Alright" she resigned; more so just so she could wipe that smug look off Amethyst's face.

Pearl went inside the netted enclosure, but before Steven put quarter in he asked, "What level should I put it on? Easy, medium or hard?"

"Hard" she answered.

"_This should be good"_ thought Amethyst as he put the coin in.

The tennis ball machine whirred and shot a ball clocked at 65mph. But Pearl gracefully parried it with her racket and sent it flying to the other side. She continued her rhythmical strikes, sending all the tennis balls back against the drop cloth.

"Wow…she makes it look so easy! Go Pearl Go!" he chanted and she bubbled with a newfound vigor.

For the final shot, she pirouetted and smashed it right through the net. "Game, Set, Match" said the computerized announcer.

"Pearl that was amazing! You were so cool!" he said as gripped the enclosure.

She chuckled and said, "Well, the same skill sets can be used in different way I suppose." She walked out of the simulator and smirked at Amethyst, who merely crossed her arms and replied, "Fine…you don't suck." "Thank you" she graciously accepted.

Garnet came over to where they were and said, "Here Steven, try this on."

"Okay!"

He grabbed another associate and got a changing room. Garnet was smiling, feeling pretty confident about her selection. When he emerged, everyone was stunned. He was wearing a neon-green shirt with black pads on the shoulders and rib area coupled with black padded shorts that covered his thighs. He also had a neon green cloth belt tied around his waist.

"Uh…looks…tough" he said as he looked in the mirror and patted the sewn-in padding.

"Garnet, where did you find this?" asked Pearl.

"In an area called the football section. That human said it was used for protection against physical blows" she explained.

The gems just stared at him and Lapis said, "I don't think it works for him"

"Yea… it looks like you tried to beef up our little cinnamon roll" said Amethyst.

Garnet frowned then looked at Steven. "Do you like it?" she asked.

"I think it'll be good for combat training…but not for everyday wear" he replied.

"I see. Well, let's go somewhere else" she said. He changed back to his normal clothes and they left the store. He noticed that Garnet was walking further ahead of the group and caught up to her. He was about to apologize but she shushed him and ruffled his hair, letting him know that everything was okay. They went to the upper level via the escalator, although Amethyst sat on the handrail part of it.

"Who knew clothes shopping was so tricky" Steven commented as they kept on walking past stores.

"When you've liked something for so long, it's hard to get accustomed to something new. But don't worry, we'll find something you like" assured Pearl. He nodded and they continued their search.

All of a sudden, something caught Lapis' eye and she ran ahead of them.

"Wait up!" he said.

"How about this one?" she said with diamonds in her eyes. They stopped in front of a store that had a golden elephant and tiger statues in front of it.

"Ali Baba's Treasure?" he said.

She nodded and they decided to go in. "Welcome Welcome! Please have a look and don't hesitate to ask for help" greeted the shop keeper with a thick Indian accent. "Thanks" replied Pearl.

"Whooaaa, look at the fountain! This statue kinda looks like the temple!" he said as he ran to the back of the store. There were all sorts of silk and cottons garments with an assortment of patterns. Lapis looked at all of them and came across a deep blue one.

"Here Steven, try this one" she said.

"Okay!" He went to get changed and emerged to mixed reactions.

It with a simple silk tunic/pants outfit. It had and intricate zig-zag pattern on the back of the shirt that resembled a lotus. He even wore some ivory colored beads. Lapis looked at him with diamond studded eyes and thought he looked adorable. But the others…eh.

"It's very flowy" he commented as he did a quick spin.

"Yes…it's just um…" Pearl tried to say but couldn't find the words.

"Dude, you look like a monk" Amethyst said.

"There's nothing wrong with that! It's just seems…too delicate for everyday wear" she clarified. The shine in Lapis' eyes faded; she couldn't argue with that.

"Let's see what else we can find" Garnet said and he changed back.

The three original gems walked ahead whereas Steven hung back with Lapis. "It was really cool, maybe I could get it later as a fancy outfit. But I want a lion on it next time" Lapis chuckled and held his hand.

"Now this is what you need Steven!" Pearl exclaimed.

He and Lapis caught up to them and he read, "Step by Step?"

"Yes! It's casual and elegant!" she said as she rushed him inside.

"I can see where this is going…" muttered Amethyst as she crossed her arms and followed them.

A fusion of hip-hop and classical music played through the music themed store. Pearl was in her happy place as she looked through all the dance apparel.

"Perrrfect" she sing-songed as she gave Steven her choice. He went to change and Pearl was beside herself with excitement. He came out wearing a loose white t-shirt with an unbuttoned black vest coupled with black tight-like pants (plus-sized) and black ballet shoes.

"Oh Steven! You look-"

"Like you" finished Amethyst.

"What? He does not!" asserted Pearl.

"Yes he does! I mean C'mon! Really?! You couldn't be any more creative than this?" she said pointing to him.

"It's better than having him look like a walking hodgepodge!" she retorted.

"I don't what that means, but I know when my style is being made fun of!" she yelled.

This was bad. It's a good thing the music was loud enough so people wouldn't notice their argument but it would only be a matter of time before everyone would be looking their way.

"Cut it out, both of you!" ordered Garnet. "If he doesn't like it, then we'll go somewhere else."

"He didn't say that he didn't like it!" snapped Pearl.

"And why are you in such a hurry? Do you want to dress him up in battle armor next?" asked Amethyst.

It's a good thing her shades covered her eyes, because her red one twitched and that usually spelled trouble. Lapis was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. So far all she experienced was love and kindness and the occasional squabble between Pearl and Amethyst, but this…this was the complete opposite. How could there be so much animosity over clothing choices?

"STOP!" shouted Steven and the music suddenly shut off.

The gems looked at him and he said, "This isn't what I wanted! I don't care about the clothes! I just wanted us to spend time together as a family. You guys have been so stressed over me, finding Peridot and home world so I thought it'd be cool to hang out. Having fun, trying on crazy things and laughing about it. And if I did find an outfit that I'd like, it'd be like the cherry on top. But all this just turned into you guys getting offended because I didn't like your styles. And that's just it. These are YOUR STYLES, not mine. Like I told Lapis, I don't know the first thing about clothes shopping; I don't even know where MY clothes come from. But I figured you guys would know me well enough to pick out something for me, not for yourselves. I heard that fashion is about bringing what's inside of you out into the light. Like how Garnet's outfit represents her balance of toughness and tenderness. Or Pearl's outfit showcases her precision and attentiveness. And Amethyst's clothes shows her untamed personality. I need something that represents me, and I think it's better if I find it on my own."

"But Stev-" Pearl was cut off when Steven slammed the changing room door.

He quickly ripped off the Pearl-esque outfit and put on his normal clothes. He knew they were still outside, he could see their feet underneath the door. He was kinda surprised that they didn't break down the door to try and talk to him. He only had one shot at this - he was gonna make a break for it. He quickly opened the door and just as they were about to say something to him, he pulled a Ruby and slid underneath them. He ran away, not looking back. Pearl, Lapis and Amethyst were about to go after him but Garnet stopped them.

"Garnet, move!" yelled Pearl.

"No. He wants to be alone. And quite frankly…I don't blame him."

"But what if he gets hurt?!" she asked.

"He'll be fine. You should have a little more faith in him, considering he just pulled off that sliding move. I guess that muscle atrophy is miniscule now" she responded.

Pearl tightly hugged herself while Amethyst ran her hands through her hair.

"Why do we always screw everything up?!" Amethyst asked.

"Why didn't he tell us?" asked Lapis.

Garnet crossed her arms and sighed, "…I don't know. But what I do know is that we're going home and if… **_when_**…he does come back we're going to apologize to him." They all nodded and dejectedly headed home.

* * *

"…Man…what a bummer" Steven sighed as he walked out the main entrance. He tried all sorts of outfits, everything from a suit and tie to high top shoes, gold chains and baggy pants and nothing expressed who he was on the inside.

_"Who am I?"_ he asked himself. That was a loaded question in and of itself. He pondered it until someone shouted his name.

"Huh? What?" He'd been thinking so hard that he didn't even notice he was in the parking lot. Right next to him was the Pizza's delivery car and inside sat Jenny, Buck and Sour Cream.

"Hey Steven, welcome back to Earth" said Jenny.

"What?" he asked.

"Yea man, you looked like you were a million miles away" Buck chimed in.

"Oh, yea…just thinking about some stuff. What're you guys doing here?" he asked.

"Just freaking out some squares" replied Buck.

"Yea man, it's good energy flow" said Sour Cream as he got in a comfy position in the back seat.

"Now same question to you, haven't see you around in a while. Where you been?" asked Jenny.

Steven shifted his feet as he debated whether or not to tell them. Well…they already know about the alien stuff since they saw Peridot's ship blow to bits so it couldn't hurt to tell'em. "It's a long story, I don't want to bore you" he replied.

"Tch, don't be silly and get in here" Jenny said as she unlocked the doors.

Steven got in the back with Sour Cream and told them what happened to him. When he was done, they just stared at him in stunned silence.

Jenny got out the front seat, slid into the middle seat and gave him a big hug. "Oh my god! I'm so glad you're okay!" she said.

"Dude…you saved us. This puts everything going on in our lives in a completely different perspective" realized Buck.

"Man, I don't even know what to say except thank you. Thanks to you, I can keep being a DJ" said Sour Cream.

"I just wanted to help" replied Steven with a slight blush.

"You're a real champ, Steven Universe" Buck replied as he lifted his shades, his way of expressing true respect.

"I still can't believe you actually went through all that and can even walk. Speaking of, you still haven't told us why you're here. Getting some new threads?" asked Jenny.

"Yea…sorta. I brought the gems with me for a fun time, but they ended up getting mad because they didn't each other's styles on me. I tried to find something on my own, but I don't know the first thing about clothes shopping. I just know that fashion is supposed to bring out what's on the inside to outside. But…I don't even know what's on the inside of me…" replied the crestfallen hybrid.

"Ah…the proverbial question. Well, what makes you feel good?" asked Sour Cream.

Steven thought about it for a minute and said, "Seeing my friends happy."

They all smiled and Buck said, "So you need to wear something that shows off your love for your friends and family. Trust me man, you won't find something like that in a cynical, money driven place like this. No, you need your own style."

"Sounds like you have something in mind Buck. Wanna spill?" asked Jenny.

"First we need to head back, I'll tell you on the way" replied Buck. Then he took out his cell phone and dialed a rarely used number. "…Hey dad. Yea I know. Hey can we use your screen printing stuff again? No, it's not for the campaign. Let's just say someone is owed a **big** political favor…"

* * *

Steven was giggling and grinning from the euphoria flowing throughout his body as he ran from the abandoned, yet surprisingly multi-purposeful, warehouse. He couldn't wait to show the gems the new style he and the cool kids came up with.

_"Man, they're gonna flip when they see this!"_ he thought as he ran down the beach toward the temple.

Then he skidded to a stop when he realized that he still needed to do something for Lapis' crystal gem coronation. _"I need donuts!"_ he thought and ran in the opposite direction through town; he couldn't risk the gems seeing them and ruining the surprise.

He was huffin' and puffin' and his mouth was as dry as a desert, but he didn't care. The excitement of the stir he was going to create back home fueled him. But even that fuel had its natural limits; he had to catch his breath on the side walk and dig into his saliva reserves to rehydrate his mouth. He resumed his celebration conquest and luckily for him the Big Donut wasn't too far away from where he took the brief respite. He burst through the door, startling the lone worker for the evening.

"Steven?!" asked Sadie.

"Water" he breathed out as he made his way over to the soda station and filled a cup to brim with the neutral molecule. "Ahhhh…much better. Hey Sadie!" he replied without missing a beat.

"Heh, never a dull moment with you around Steven" Sadie smiled as she continued sweeping the floor.

"Where's Lars?" he asked.

"He took off for the night…again" she said with a tinge of irritation.

"Oh, are you about to close now? I can come back tomorrow" he inquired.

"No, no it's alright. In fact I haven't seen you around for a while. Doing some kind of special restriction diet?" she joked.

"Yea…funny you should say that…" Once again he retold the story and once again it was met with wide-eyed stunned silence.

"Steven…I had no idea"

"How could you? I just told you" he confusedly said.

She dropped the broom, rushed up to him and gave him a hug. "I'm glad you're okay…I always valued your friendship" she said with tears pricking through her eyes.

"You're a great friend too, Sadie" he sincerely replied.

She released the hug and smiled at him. "Hey, I like the new shirt!" she noticed.

"Thanks! Buck helped me make it! I'm gonna go show the gems right now, but I wanted to get some donuts for'em. How much for a dozen?" he asked.

"Are you kidding? After everything you went through, these are on the house. And I'll do you one better, you'll get a free donut every day for as long as I work here" she declared.

Steven just stood there with his mouth wide open and an array of stars in his eye. _"This is the most glorious day of my life!" _he thought as he shook himself out of his stupor and picked an assortment of the deliciously addicting pastries. After he got the perfect donut selection and a lion licker for Lion, he bid Sadie adieu and quickly, yet carefully, ran back to the temple.

He climbed up the hill and noticed Lion sleeping underneath the deck. "Lion!" he shouted. He opened his eyes and let out a yawn.

"I got you a treaaaat" he sing songed and Lion got up and nudged him with his muzzle.

"Okay, okay, let's go inside" but Lion huffed at that idea. Steven frowned and asked, "That bad huh?" and Lion replied with a low roar. He sighed but then remembered his celebration objective.

"Well, time to do what I do best" he resolved and climbed up the stairs. He looked through the screen door and saw the disheartened gems in the living room. He opened the door with one hand and they perked up.

"Hey guys!" he called out.

"STEVEN!" they collectively said and ran over to him. Garnet gabbed the box of donuts and set it on the table so they could hug him.

"I'm glad you're okay" said Pearl.

"Yea, I met up with Jenny, Buck and Sour Cream and they gave me a ride back to town" he replied.

"Steven" Garnet spoke as she continued to hug the group in her strong arms. "We're sorry for the way things turned out. And we're sorry that we're not the perfect family you deserve…" her voice faltered at the end and every one's regretful emotions manifested itself into tears.

"What are you guys talking about? You guys are the best family in the history of families! That's why I picked out this outfit!"

The gems got out of the embrace and took a good look at Steven's new outfit. Instead of blue jeans he wore khaki pants, but he still had the same red sandals. But the biggest difference was his t-shirt. It was white and it had a star in the center, but instead of being his traditional yellow star, it was multicolored with different stripes with a little pink star in the center of it.

"Buck helped me make it. I kept the star since it's our special logo and all, but I put everyone's colors in it! See? There's red and blue for Ruby and Sapphire and I blended the colors between them a bit to make purple for you Garnet! Then there's cream stripe for Pearl, Amethyst's purple, Lapis' blue and the pink star is for me, dad, Lion and mom! It's my style because it shows what's inside of me! My love and adoration for each of you guys!"

Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and Lapis absorbed the explanation that was given to them.

"D-do you like it?" he asked; the silence concerned him.

Pearl blushed profusely and covered her mouth with her hand. Amethyst gave a lopsided grin. Lapis had a small smile whereas Garnet sported a huge grin. But the common displayed action were tears. Tears of affection and pure merriment.

"You dummy, of course we love it!" said Amethyst as she laughed and spun him around. She set him down and Pearl took her turn to embrace him.

"It's beautiful" she choked out, still overcome by the sincerity of his gesture. She reluctantly released him and Lapis knelt down and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Then Garnet scooped him up and cradled him. "…Now I know why we acted the way that we did in the mall. We were competing for your love." The room fell silent with this realization.

"Why?" he asked.

"Steven, your mother was like the embodiment compassionate energy and we cherished it. When you were born, we had to take on an unfamiliar role and show love, not just receive it. But I guess…after a while we wanted to feel that charge again. Your love is so innocent and pure…it's like nothing we've ever experienced. And I guess each of us wanted it focused solely on ourselves." Garnet explained.

Pearl and Amethyst looked at each other, then down at the ground.

"But now we see that we were being selfish and foolish. You have more than enough love for all of us. And we have an unlimited supply for you as well that'll **never** go away" she finished as she kissed his cheek. She set him down and Lion licked him as well, but nudged him over to where his ice cream treat was.

"Oh, yea! I got donuts for the coronation!" he exclaimed.

"Coronation?" they asked.

"For Lapis" he clarified as he fed Lion his dessert.

"F-for me?" Lapis asked.

"Yea!" he said as he motioned for everyone to sit on the couch.

"Steven, you don't have too. I mean the outfit and all this is more than eno-" But Pearl cut her off by placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling at her.

He got his ukulele out of the closet and said, "So, I wrote this when you sent us that message through the wailing stone. I hope you like."

"_She was trapped in a mirror_

_And it couldn't be clearer_

_She wanted to leave this place and get herself back in space_

_And dad you might think she's a criminal, but her friendship comes through subliminal._

_Lapis Lazuli... you fled into the bottom of the sea _

_Lapis Lazuli... you were so mad but then you came around to me_

_Lapis Lazuli…you're now a part of this family_

_Lapis Lazuli…I hope you'll stay and be my buddy…"_

Lapis was stunned when she heard that song; this child never ceased to amaze her.

"I know it's a little short and I just added the last two bits right now and-"

"Steven, I loved it! Every single word!" she cut him off.

He beamed then grabbed her hand. In an overly dramatic kingly voice he bellowed, "Lapis Lazuli. By the powers vested in me, you are now a crystal gem! You may now partake of the donut treasure." Then he backtracked when he remembered that gems don't eat. "I mean, if you want." _"Darn it, I broke character"_ he thought but Lapis didn't notice one bit.

She pulled him into hug and just chuckled. Her gem showed how happy she has as well.

"Geez, turn it down would ya?" Amethyst playfully said, but then Pearl tapped on her purple gem and smirked, "Like you're one to talk."

Amethyst blushed, but noticed she was illuminating the area as well but decided not to make any comment about it now…she'll bug her later.

Lapis released Steven and he said, "C'mon! Let's eat!"

Steven and Amethyst consumed most of the treasure but it didn't matter to the rest of them. "This **is** the most glorious day of my life!" he exclaimed and the gems couldn't agree more.

* * *

Steven laid on top of his bed to reflect on the day's events. The gems left to try and find Peridot again, leaving him alone with Lion in the living room.

It was amazing. After getting clarification for their actions and seeing that they could still come together and love one another…it just proved to Steven that everyone deserved to be loved.

He sat up and stared at the temple door. _"I wonder…"_ he thought.

His gem responded to his inner desire and opened the door. He took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself for monumentally and seemingly impossible task of getting through to the gem that nearly ended his life…Jasper.

* * *

**Man, this chapter is long! Hope you guys don't mind the length and that you guys enjoyed the sundae with sweet, salty, tangy, and a hint of bitter feels all topped of with a dollop of suspense. Will Steven be able to get through to Jasper? Stay tuned to find out.**

**I'm pretty sure Pearl has seen humans wear jewelry before, but I couldn't resist ;)**

**I also found that out that gladiators were actually a bit chunkier due to their diet consisting of mainly grain and that they needed that extra layer of fat for protection. Go figure. **

**Y'know, I've been checking out all the profiles of the ones that favorite/follow this story, and it's amazing to know that people who like everything from Naruto to Fairy Tale, Gravity Falls to Star Wars, or even Harry Potter to Frozen like my story so much. My many thanks to all of you who have stuck with me on this journey. I am truly blessed:) **

**Tell me what you guys think of his new outfit. At least now he has a bit of variety.**

**And just as a heads up, I won't be updating till the end of June. My mom's birthday is this Thursday and my aunt is shortly after hers so I'll be treating them both with the love they deserve. Thanks for understanding and enjoy Steven Bomb #2!**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	13. Chapter 13

Steven gazed at the vast field of pink that was contained within **his inherited **room. It was as if the chambered temple beckoned the hybrid to enter its corridors. He slowly descended his beach room steps; he gripped his hands into fists to steel his jittery nerves. He couldn't afford to show any trepidation, that's how he got knocked unconscious the first time. _"Don't be scared…don't be scared. I'm a crystal gem. I'm a king. I'm a crystal gem king!"_ he mentally chanted.

"ROAR!"

"AHH!" he yelped as he jumped a couple inches off the ground. He looked over at the couch to find the source of the outcry staring intensely at him.

"Oh Lion…it's you. I forgot you were in here…" he breathed in relief.

Lion got off his cushy throne, walked in front of Steven and sat there, blocking his advancements towards the magically unbarred area.

"Lion, please move" he asked but he refused. Well…scratch that. He **did** move; he re-positioned himself so that he laid long ways, in case Steven got the idea to just walk around him.

He sighed and said, "Lion…you're not changing my mind. I know I don't have to do this…but I want to. And I know you're just looking out for me…but I can do this! Just…trust me on this one, please?"

Lion contemplated what he just heard and let out his equivalent of a surrendering sigh, even though it came out as a growl. He sat up, walked over to him and placed his paw on top of his head; his sign of letting him know that he was going along with him.

Steven smiled at his confidant and gave him a hug. "Thanks buddy" he said into his mane.

"Alright, let's go!" and he led the charge into the temple. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the door closed behind. However, unbeknownst to the duo, all of the gems on the door did three rotations then turned black, sealing them in until they accomplished their goal.

* * *

His magical room was still as tranquil as ever and the serenity of it put the brakes on his adrenaline fueled heart rate. "Okay, now all we have to do is go to Garnet's room" he realized. As soon as he spoke it, another door manifested itself out of the clouds and revealed the bubbled remains of all the corrupted gems they've faced.

"_Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? You've barely recovered…" _

"I'll be fine…wait…Lion?! You can talk?! But your lips aren't moving…and my mind isn't in your head! Or is it and this is all a dream?" Steven rambled.

"_No Steven, it's me. No mind transfers or anything. The magical properties of the temple, more so Rose's room, strengthens the mental link between us so I can speak to you directly" _he answered.

"…Because you were made here!" he realized.

Lion nodded and said, "_Alright. Let's find Jasper's gem. But why do you want to help her anyway? She beat you to a black and blue pulp." _

"I know it's weird and crazy, but I don't know…it just seems like the right thing to do. I saw how agitated and confused she was when I stood up to her. And no, it wasn't just because she lost to Garnet. She was thoroughly afraid of my compassion for them. It's almost as if she never experienced it before…and that made me sad" Steven explained as he continued to search for her gem.

As he was looking around, he accidentally bumped against his own bubble that contained the centipedle. _"…One day soon"_ he thought as he pushed it upward so it could float next to the bubbled bag of chips.

"_When?" _

"What?"

"_When are you going to try to talk to the centipedle again? And in case you're wondering, I can hear your thoughts as well." _

"What?! How can you hear my thoughts but I can't hear yours?!" Steven asked.

"_Did you try?" _

"Ah!...uhh…mmm" Steven was about to say something but it got caught in his throat.

"Anyway…I think I'll try and help the centipedle again if I can help Jasper. I think it might be easier to change a person's mind than their whole body."

"_I don't know…some people are dead set in their ways" _

"If mom and the others could change their thinking, then anything is possible" he concluded and Lion nodded, proud of his assessment.

"_There it is!" _Lion roared as he pointed to the fair-colored bubble that contained the oblong shaped orange gem.

"…Makes sense that it'd be the highest one up…and floating above the lava pit" Steven observed.

"_Gotta hand it to Pearl, she doesn't mess around"_ commented Lion.

"But how am I going to get it?" he thought aloud.

Lion waited on Steven for a command; just because Rose created him didn't mean that he had ALL the answers. His warps weren't made for extremely short distances. And he couldn't risk hopping up and bumping into other bubbles and accidentally popping them. The last thing they needed was to fight an army of corrupted gems.

"Hmmmm…I got it! It'll be just like how Capt. Oliver throws his plant people! Lion, I want you to throw me up in a rainbow arc then run over to the other side so you can catch me."

Lion blinked a couple of time and smiled, astounded by the genius of the simple plan. If he had thrown him straight up, there would have been a good chance he would've fallen into the lava pit and died; he wasn't **that** adapt of summoning his bubble shield that quickly. Or even if he tried to catch him in his mane he would've gotten some serious burns if he mistimed the jump and landing.

"_You got it" _he responded and they moved to the right side of the burning room since it had the fewest bubbles floating around.

Lion picked up Steven using his claws then situated him on top of his paw as if he was playing shot put. He carefully stood on his hind legs and threw him like a basketball. Steven tucked and rolled just like when Garnet threw him at that pyramid shaped gem. He untucked when he got close to the bubble and grabbed it, making sure not to put too much pressure on it so it wouldn't pop.

"Catch me!" he yelled and Lion was already waiting for him.

His mane glowed and Steven seamlessly landed inside. **GASP** Steven took a big inhale as he got out of Lion's mane.

"Ha ha! We did it!" he proclaimed as he held Jasper's gem up like a trophy; all it needed now was some lights glowing around it and a victory chime.

"…_Uh, what's with the pose?"_ asked Lion.

"It's a gamer thing, you wouldn't understand" he replied as they walked back into the cloud filled room. Once the door disappeared, the tremors of Steven's heart reverberated throughout the area; it was deafening. His hands were getting sweaty and he was visibly shaking from the gravity of what he was attempting to do.

_"What…what if I can't do it?"_ he thought.

He was brought out of his musings when Lion placed his paw on top of his head. "_It doesn't take a strong mental link to know that you're doubting yourself. **Don't.** This is **your **domain. You have the advantage and I'm here too. You can do this, after all you were able to change Lapis' mind and now she's happy being a part of this family." _

Steven smiled and affectionately said, "Thanks, I needed that. I'll make sure you get all the lion lickers you want." Lion licked his lips when his pictured an infinite pile of the delicious treat. Steven chuckled at that and his nerves were once again settled.

"Okay…here were go" he said as he applied pressure to the bubble. It easily burst opened and Jasper's gem fell onto the fluffy terrain. Steven was about to pick it up, but suddenly it started to glow and rise into the air.

"She's regenerating!" Steven said as he backed up.

Lion got into a defensive position and began growling. They watched the silhouetted form go through its progressions, and surprisingly the earlier forms weren't all that muscular. It finally reached its end when the familiar titan form emerged – fully fleshed out with no noticeable changes to her appearance. She landed on the ground on all fours.

She took a few deep breaths as her vision focused on the cloudy turf beneath her. _"Wh-where am I?" _she thought.

"Hi!" Steven enthusiastically said while simultaneously trying not to let his will waver.

Jasper's head shot up. Once she saw who spoke, she gave the scariest looking glare that looked like a combination of a glowing cat's eye with snake slit pupils. "You…"she growled.

Steven wanted to gulp but instead took a deep breath to steel himself and said, "Yep, it's me. I let you out of the bubble."

All eight feet of her stood up and looked down incredulously at the boy and his mongrel. "Then you must have a death wish" she said as she cracked her knuckles.

"No, I don't. I just wanted to talk to you" he explained while holding his hands up.

"Don't start with me, Rose! I'm not listening to anything you have to say!" she yelled.

"I like your stripes"

Jasper blinked and did a double take. "W-what?"

"I said I like your stripes. You remind me of a tiger and tigers are tough and cool" he clarified. Lion looked at him and huffed.

_"Not as cool as you Lion"_ he thought and Lion was satisfied with that answer.

Jasper clenched her fists so hard that veins were revealing themselves through her illusionary skin.

_"Uh oh…what did I say? I thought complements were the perfect ice breaker"_ he thought.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" she yelled.

"Well…yea! They're really neat!" he honestly replied. That just agitated her further.

"Do you have any idea how I got these so-called stripes?! It's from what you're attempting to do right now!"

"Uh…talking?" he questioned, not understanding where she was going with this.

She ran her thick hands through her bleach white hair in exasperation and said, "Don't play dumb with me! You're really pissing me off! You know good and well what you're doing and it won't work!"

Steven sat down on the fluffy ground next to his on edge confidant and calmly said, "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. All I want to do is know about you. Why are you so afraid? And why are you yelling so much? I'm not yelling, am I?"

A wicked grin crossed her face and she sneered, "You're right, I shouldn't be yelling…I should be caving your face in!"

Steven's face paled as she advanced towards him. He was shaking again - his courage was diminishing greatly as he scooted back. "H-hold on!" he pleaded while waving his arms out in front of him.

She was about to bum rush him with her right arm drawn back to deliver a devastating blow. But Lion's agility was amplified in this room and he got in a good swipe right across her chest.

"GAH!" she screamed as she clutched her bloodless wound.

Lion took the opportunity to land one more attack on her back before retreating and grabbing Steven by the back of his shirt with his teeth. Jasper let out a frustrated battle cry before pursuing the little instigators.

"_You may want to rethink this plan of yours! And where the heck is a door when you need it?!" _Lion said as he sprinted through the cloudy terrain.

"B-b-but it's working! T-t-there's s-s-something going on in her head. A p-painful mem-m-ory or something." he managed to say while being jostled around in his jaws.

"_Well, a murderous rage is a safe bet!"_ Lion responded.

"W-we j-j-just got to get her t-to calm d-down, we c-can't leave her alone in the t-t-temple like this!" he explained.

"_And how are you going to do that?!" _he asked.

His ears perked up when he heard a whirring sound. He didn't want to, but he had to look back. And he really wished he hadn't. His ears went down and he nearly dropped Steven out of shock.

Jasper was coming towards them at top speed using her signature spin dash move. Lion managed to side-step to dodge the potentially fatal onslaught, but the intense wind stream that followed after her separated Steven from his mouth and they were sent flying in opposite directions. Luckily for them, the ground was soft or else that could've really hurt.

Jasper skidded to a stop and found the disoriented duo lying on the ground. _"Time to end this"_ she thought as she summoned her battering helmet and revved herself up. She sped towards Steven, determined to pulverize his gem to smithereens.

"_Ugggh…" _Lion shook his head to dispel the dizziness. He was the first one to come to his senses and he saw the scene unfolding in front of him.

"_Oh No!" _he thought as he steadied himself.

She uncurled herself with a confident smile gracing her face; her hunter-like eyes focused on the prize a mere few feet away from her.

"_Steven, move!" _roared Lion as he opened a warp hole to get to him as fast as he could, but Steven was still faced down on the ground discombobulated.

"DIE!" she yelled when she was nearly upon him.

"_NO!"_ roared Lion when his head emerged out of the warp.

* * *

Suddenly there was a bright flash of pink light. Lion had to shield his eyes with his paw. Then he felt the after-impact of Jasper's attack reverberate throughout the room. He dug his other paws into the ground so he wouldn't be blown back as the wind flowed through his mane.

"_What in the world?!"_ he thought as he saw Jasper land on her back with a thud.

"What the!?" Jasper said in disbelief.

Pink clouds swirled around the luminescent form and forged a figure that was a welcoming sight in Lion's eyes, but a terrifying one in Jasper's.

Steven finally managed to get his bearings and when he looked up he recognized the familiar flowing, pink curls. "M-mom?!" he breathed out.

The figure turned around and faced him with a loving smile. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Steven merely nodded, too flabbergasted to respond any other way.

"**Rose**…" Jasper snarled through her fang-like teeth as she stood up.

Rose turned around to the face the ferocious yet irritably confused gem and glared at her. Jasper gulped and took a step back. She may have fought against her armies, but this was the commander right here! Her reputation preceded her; soft and delicate on the outside but one of the strongest and most imposing warriors in gem history. "Jasper!" she boomed. "I will **not** let you hurt my son!"

"S-son?!" she stammered. Then she thought, _"How could that be? Why would a gem of her caliber create this pathetic human? Wait a minute…how could she even be here? In order to do create life, a gem would have to…"_

Jasper carefully examined the rebel leader and noticed that she didn't have a gem on her abdomen. _"What the heck?! She should be dead!"_ She was wrangled out of her thoughts when Rose spoke again.

"Yes, my son. The one who showed **you **mercy by releasing you out of the bubble prison and offered to help you, even though you **don't** deserve one ounce of it" she said.

Steven stared at his mom wide-eyed in disbelief. This wasn't the same person that his family described nor whom he heard in the video.

"Mercy? Help?! You call this help?! You don't think I know what's going on?! This is all part of your attempt to **reeducate me! **I already went through this crap with Yellow Diamond and I'm not going to be swayed by some defective leader and her inept mutt!" Her rage over took her trepidation about facing her. She was going to do what she stated when she first arrived on this garbage planet. "I'm going to beat you into the ground, then I'll be hailed as a hero back on home world and not be seen as some mindless fighting machine!" She summoned her helmet again and charged toward Rose.

"Mom, look out!" yelled Steven.

Rose disregarded Steven's warning and allowed Jasper to follow through with her assault. Lion managed to grab him before Jasper could make contact; and it was a good thing he did because she passed right through her.

"Lion, put me d-d-down! We h-have t-to help mom!" Steven pleaded.

Once they were at a safe distance, Lion set him down and explained, "_Steven, listen. That isn't your mom!** You** created her! You said you wanted Jasper to calm down, and the room wanted to protect you. Creating a Rose copy was the only way to accomplish that. Now Jasper will focus her attention on the copy Rose and wear herself out! That's why she's behaving the way she is, this is the protective side! She sees Jasper as a major threat (rightfully so), so this Rose doesn't care whether or not she lives." _

Steven and Lion heard Jasper's desperate cries as she charged toward copy Rose again, but her attack was reflected yet again.

"But I didn't want her to get beat up! I just wanted to talk!" he said as he watched the scene unfold.

"_I don't think words will get through to a person like her" _Lion surmised.

Steven looked over at the battle scene again and saw something unexpected. He saw little tears in Jasper's eyes, that she immediately wiped away and restarted her futile attacks. That's when he realized what he needed to do. "If words won't reach her, then actions will! Lion, stay here and come only if I call you!" he ordered as he charged to where the fight was taking place.

"_Steven, wait! Grrr…I swear this boy is just like his mother…loving, determined, and hard headed!"_

* * *

**_Meanwhile..._**

"Man, are we going to have to search the whole freakin' planet to find her?" Amethyst complained as the gem quartet dejectedly trudged through the sand. Their search came up empty handed yet again.

"We'll find her. We have to. She may be weak compared to us, but there's no telling what she'll do to a human" Garnet said and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Well, the only thing I want to search for is something to eat, then take a nice, long nap on top of Lion. He's so fluffy!" smiled Amethyst.

"Just remember to keep quiet, we don't want to wake up Steven" said Pearl.

The four of them smiled at the prospect of seeing their favorite cutie-pie sleeping soundly and finally pain-free. They walked up the beach house steps and carefully opened the screen door. Lapis was the first to walk in, but immediately froze when she didn't see said fluffy creature.

"Where's Lion?" she whispered.

An overwhelming sense of uneasiness began to fill the house, but Pearl tried to brush it off and said, "He's probably out taking a walk, but he's going to get the scolding of a lifetime because I told him to watch Steven."

That's where their next train of thoughts traveled to. Garnet ran up the stairs to his room to check on him. But all that was there was an empty bed. "He's not here!" she yelled.

"What?!" they replied.

Lapis started to hyperventilate whereas Pearl collapsed to the floor; she clutched herself as she started to shiver. Her hair started to lose its pointy shape.

"You're the one with future vision, so find him already!" yelled Amethyst.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?! Just give me a minute!" Garnet snapped back. She didn't mean to sound so harsh, but she didn't need Amethyst's unpredictable attitude right now.

Amethyst groaned loudly and ran her fingers through her hair. Garnet probably needed more than a minute to properly use her abilities. Everyone was too preoccupied with their own internal distress to notice that she was slightly shaking. She tightly gripped her gem embedded hands to steady the two halves that were falling apart with concern.

"ENOUGH!" she shouted, more so to keep her head from splitting open, but inadvertently everyone's attention focused on her.

Now that she had an ounce of concentration, she used her future sense. But all that came up was the gem door.

"The door…" and immediately everyone looked towards the temple.

When they got close, Pearl and Garnet's mouths dropped open in shock.

"Oh no…" Pearl choked out.

"What? What's going on?" asked Lapis.

"Yeah, fill us in!" chimed Amethyst.

"When all the gems on the door turn black, it activates our temple's lock down defense system. We only used it during extreme circumstances during the war, and it's never been used since. No one can open it, except for the one who initiated it." Garnet explained through her cracked voice.

"What?! That's crazy! Maybe it's just the lighting!" said Amethyst and she ran to the kitchen to flip the light switch. The area became illuminated, but the color of the gems remained the same…black.

"I don't know how, but Steven must've activated the lock down" surmised Garnet.

"But why?! Why would he want us out?!" asked Pearl as she frantically grabbed Garnet by the arms.

"It's impossible that he would want us intentionally out, especially after everything he did for us…_for me…_" Lapis said.

"You're right. He barely figured out how to open his mother's room. So if he wasn't trying to keep us out…then he must be keeping something inside that he didn't want to get out" Garnet concluded.

That's when everyone's eyes went wide with horror with the sudden realization of the only dangerous being capable of escaping in the temple. "JASPER!" they shouted.

"C'mon! There has to be SOME way to get inside!" yelled Amethyst.

"There isn't another way! It's a LOCK DOWN!" sobbed Pearl.

Amethyst refused to believe any of that and summoned her whip. She yelled incoherently as she slashed the door.

"Amethyst, STOP!" commanded Garnet as she grabbed the whip with her gauntlet hand. "If we break down this door, Steven will be trapped in there! And he'll stay in there until we create a new door the EXACT same way."

That's when the severity hit her. "In other words…forever" she cried.

"No, he can't die!" Lapis screamed as she pounded the door. "Open! Open! OPEN!" she screamed then collapsed to her knees. Mournful wails escaped her delicate lips.

But Garnet refused to let this be the end. She dismissed her gauntlet and powered her gems to try and open the door.

"Garnet, it won't work! It's impossible!" Pearl cried.

"Steven defeating Jasper was an impossibility. Steven by all accounts IS an impossibility! But that never stopped him! He keeps on going with that big smile of his and he NEVER gives up. So long as my gems remain intact, I'll never give up on him!"

Her declaration ignited a fire within the rest of them and their gems started to glow as well, willing and hoping against all odds that the door would open.

* * *

**All right, place your bets. Will the gems be able to open the door? Will Steven's plan work? Will cloud Rose beat the living daylights out of Jasper, or will Jasper reign as the victor? Stay tuned! **

**See ya guys, and thanks to all that read my story. I read all of the reviews and it's endearing to know that you guys want to help and encourage me through all this. They fuel my fire!**


	14. Chapter 14

The harmonious ambiance of the room now mimicked a hazy war scene of out the annals of gem history. A mixture of pink, gray and black clouds filled the room, reflecting the animosity toward the home world intruder that pummeled their innocent youngling.

"DARN IT! FALL ALREADY!" screamed Jasper in between her panting.

The Rose copy didn't say a word; just loomed over the battle weary warrior. It was no secret how much she loathed Jasper. The room was able to tap into Steven's memories as soon as he crossed the threshold, and after witnessing the traumatic events he experienced, it was a miracle that the room didn't crack her gem when she was first released from the bubble.

Jasper summoned her battering helmet again, jumped back a few dozen feet and revved up. The energy generating from her spin caused the clouds to dissipate around her. But copy Rose stood tall and absolute; the winds rippled through her cascading white dress and curly locks.

_"I'm going all out! I'd rather be trapped in a bubble for all eternity than be reeducated again!"_ she thought as her revved up cycle completed. The speed at which she traveled toward copy Rose rivaled that of a fighter jet with rockets attached to it.

"GOT YOU!" she yelled as she uncurled herself to deliver a blow that would've undoubtedly created a crater the size of Australia.

But this was Rose, an immortal Rose in this domain. Before Jasper could even get within one inch of copy Rose's hair, she held up her hands and stopped her attack cold. The aftershocks of the impact created another high-speed wind stream. Jasper was stupefied. She tried to sputter out some words while copy Rose held her midair by her helmet. But she didn't get the opportunity to do so before copy Rose flipped her and slammed her into the ground; and the room made **sure** to make the area she was slammed against was as hard as a diamond.

"GAH!" she yelled as her body recoiled upwards before settling down for good. "Rrrrnghh…ahhhhh…" she incoherently moaned as her helmet dissipated from the trauma. Even if her body was an illusion, it still didn't negate the excruciating agony she felt.

Copy Rose walked over to the left side of Jasper's body while peering down at her. "…Pathetic. For someone to supposedly have so much bravado, you couldn't get past your own insecurities to realize the answer to your problems was **literally** staring you right in the face."

Jasper gritted her teeth and glared in defiance to silently refute her outrageous statement. But the little tears in the corner of her eyes proved to be a different indicator that copy Rose might be right.

"Now you will never know" copy Rose said as something manifested in her right hand. It was a sword, but this one was completely different than the one housed in Lion's mane. Instead of being a straight bladed pink saber, this one was forest green and had a serrated edge that consisted of what appeared to be thorns. Jasper didn't deserve a swift cut to end her existence. After the way she made Steven suffer, she deserved the exact same slow and tortuous fate.

The room manifested a whetstone table underneath Jasper and raised her up to copy Rose's hip level; a set of wrist and ankle shackles attached her to the stone surface. Not like it was necessary…she was too exhausted to move out of the way of the impending termination. But nothing was left to chance. Copy Rose grabbed the hilt of the thorn sword with both hands and raised it over her head.

Before she could chop her gem into little fragments, Jasper spat out, "You diamonds are all the same! Get rid of anything that tries to challenge your authority!"

"…I am **NOT** a diamond. And how is this different from a regular fight? You try to stop the other from hurting you or the one you care about, the latter providing the most motivation and strength to win. That's where you fall short, you don't care about anyone and in turn…no one cares about you…" she coldly stated as she brought her sword down to finish the job.

"STOP!"

The signature vine decorated, large-sized, pink shield came between the thorny guillotine and its spared convict. The sword clanged against the magical shield and the reverberations immediately dispelled it.

"Mom…it's okay, you don't need to protect me anymore. I got this" said the heroic hybrid.

Copy Rose looked down at her "son", then back over at Jasper, who was completely stunned by what just occurred. She looked back down at Steven and smiled. "I know you do" she said before dissolving back into clouds.

Steven turned around and faced the multi-colored gem whom he just saved. Her mouth was gaped and it matched her orange eyes. Steven banished the executioner's table with matching manacles and replaced it with a comfy, king-sized bed. Jasper managed to find the strength to sit up, but continued to stare at him.

Then all of a sudden, Steven shrank his shield to only cover his fist then back hand slapped Jasper with it on her right cheek. The room amplified the force that he hit her with, so she landed back on the bed.

Her rage recharged her energy supply as she instantly sat back up, put her hand to her jaw and yelled, "OW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

Steven gave her a **_"really"_** look and said "That's for beating me and my family up."

She couldn't argue that she didn't deserve it but the reverberations were giving her a mind splitting headache, almost as if millions upon millions of years of bad teachings were knocked out of her. While she groaned in pain and annoyance, Steven dismissed his mini shield and launched himself at her. She closed her eyes and flinched, thinking that he was going to attack her again. But there was no punch, no injury, no nothing. Just clinging and…crying?

Jasper looked down and saw that Steven was holding her around her waist. "What…are you doing?" she demanded. This by far was the worst grappling move ever.

Steven lifted his head off of her chest and stared at her through moist eyes. "This is for whatever made you sad."

"What?! I'm not sad!" she refuted.

Steven dug his head into her chest, tightened her hug and said, "Jasper! Please, don't. Just…no. You're okay now."

Jasper tingled as if someone just put ice cubes down her shirt and slowly moved her arm. "You don't know me!" she said as she grasped the back of Steven's shirt, threatening to rip him off of her.

"You're right, I don't. But I want to! I want to know what makes you tick so I don't do it! I hate seeing others like this, pretending to be strong on the outside when they're troubled on the inside!"

"Shut up..." she said.

But Steven continued wouldn't relent. "And what good does that do? Not a dang thing!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" she roared as her grip on him tightened and she started to rip him off of her.

But he held onto her like a Pinsir to a sap tree and cried, "**Whatever you're going through, we can go through it together! Because everyone deserves to be loved!"**

Jasper looked down incredulously at the weepy boy.

_"This human…cares about me? Even after everything I've done?"_ she thought. It was too much for her mind to handle. She gritted her teeth, raised both arms into the air and clenched her fists. Steven braced himself for a potential assault, but instead she pounded the edge of the mattress.

"GRAAAAAAAGH!" she yelled then burst into tears. All the pain, the forced upon thoughts of self-worthlessness and in turn transforming her into a fighting machine came flooding out through her raw cries. She hesitantly grasped Steven in her muscular hands, returning the foreign action of an embrace, albeit a bit stronger than intended. But Steven didn't mind. He merely smiled, content in knowing that he accomplished the impossible. Lion, who had been observing the scene from afar, nodded at what was done and lied down for a well-earned rest.

Steven and Jasper stayed locked in that hug for what felt like a lifetime. Her cries reduced to soft whimpers and she released him, but he still sat in her lap.

"B-better?" he cautiously asked.

Jasper leaned back on her arms and exhaled. She revealed a small smile and replied, "Yea…better" while wiping the tears out of her eyes. "What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?" he responded.

"What you just did. When you were holding me" she clarified.

"It's called a hug. You've…never been hugged before?" he asked.

She chuckled bitterly and said, "Unless you count being wrapped by a barbed whip while you're regenerating, then no."

Steven gingerly reached out to one of Jasper's arms. She sat back up so he could grasp it in his tiny hands. He ran his hand over her well-defined features and asked, "Is that how you got your…"

"Stripes? Yea…" she despondently replied. Steven stared at her, silently egging her to continue.

* * *

She sighed and said, "It was a long time ago. I was created to be a warrior, to help conqueror other planets for home world. One of the first batch made. But I was…defective. It didn't help that I was also a wild child so to speak. I mean, just having the other warriors telling me how weak I was made me volatile. So in order to fix my insubordination, Yellow Diamond…reeducated me."

Jasper shuddered as she relieved the horrific memory; she subconsciously grabbed onto Steven to steady her. She still couldn't believe that she was actually opening up to him, but she continued.

"She made me…retreat…into my gem multiple time through various…methods. And every time I would regenerate, my form would be constricted by an electrified whip fueled by that destabilizer energy. And I would only be released if I created a form strong enough to break through it."

"That's when she uttered these words that I'll never forget, _"You're only here out of necessity. If you want to live…I suggest you use that temper of yours for your own benefit." _

"And I did. I focused all the hurt and anger I experienced by her hands to treat others as if they were nothing. To keep them shackled so I could continue to gain power and respect. And it worked. I became a commander because my subordinates feared me. It wasn't until now that I realize that I'm nothing more than a glorified bodyguard…brawn to complement the brains on home world. Heh, I guess I'm expendable now…seeing that no one came to check on our status since we didn't return at the designated time." She wiped away more tears that were threatening to spill out; she was still new to the whole "revealing emotions" thing and still didn't want to be perceived as a weakling.

Steven absorbed the story that was told to him, and a mix of feelings ran through his mind. Unbelief and unbridled anger at Yellow Diamond for treating Jasper and apparently all home gems this way. Sadness for her because she had to basically survive for a living, and relief in the hopes that she could be free from all of that, just like Lapis. He grasped her arm again and studied it. Then another idea came to mind.

He licked his hand and attempted to heal Jasper's scars; that is until she wrestled her arm away and asked, "What're you doing?!"

"Oh! I was just…um…going to see if I could heal your arms. I have my mom's healing power. Mine is healing spit…_or at least I hope I still have it_" he silently added.

Jasper took in his explanation and chuckled. "That's okay Ro-I mean…Steven. I've gotten used to looking this way. At least I'm different from the other ones...in a way. In fact...some of them have actually sported stripes on their physical forms for aesthetics. It's just that they look down upon me because of what **my** stripes represent. But anyway, these wounds are older than you. I think I'll need to bathe in your spit in order to get rid of'em."

Steven got stars in his eyes at her suggestion. He remembered his mom's healing spring and was about to tell her about it, until Jasper immediately said, "Don't **even** think about it" believing that he was going to suggest actually taking a bath in his spit.

His face fell in disappointment as he rubbed the spit off on his pants, but Jasper remedied that patting him gently on the head. "Anyway, you said that my stripes reminded you of a tiger. What is a tiger?" she asked.

"Let me show you! Room, I want a friendly tiger" he commanded and soon enough a tiger about the size of Lion with light pink fur and alizarin crimson stripes appeared out of the clouds.

Jasper was awestruck at the beauty of the beast. That little rage charge from earlier faded away, so she didn't have the energy to get off the bed and walk to it. So the tiger walked over to them and nudged her leg with its muzzle. She cautiously put her hand out to touch it, and the tiger did one better and put its head right underneath her hand. She awkwardly chuckled as she petted its luxurious fur and it purred due to the soft caresses. Steven was beaming from ear to ear and he joined in petting the tiger too.

Lion opened one eye to see what was going on. "_…I'm still better" _he thought then went back to sleep.

"Alright, I can see why you made the connection between me and this Earth beast. It is formidable and as you said, cool…such as myself" she exulted. The tiger got up on the bed and curled up next to her. As she continued to pet it, she said "…I would've never guessed that any of this would happen. I-I'm sorry…f-for everything."

Steven saw how difficult it was for her to apologize and said, "I forgive you. I know you were just following orders"

"Yeah…messed up orders" she lamented.

"Hey, it's okay. All that matters now is what you want to do after all…this" his said gesturing in the air.

"What I want to do? …Heh, I don't think I've ever had that kind of choosing freedom before" she said.

"Well you do now! This isn't home world so you can do whatever you like! So what do you like?" he asked.

"I-I don't know" she hesitantly said, but Steven wasn't buying it. He knew she had to like **something** other than fighting. Then he had an idea; he was on a roll in the creative cognitive process today.

"Room, I want you to show me one of Jasper's favorite things to do!" But nothing happened. They waited a couple minutes, and still nothing.

"…See? Told y-" Before she could finish saying "I told you so", the room created a small set of bongo drums and a large dunun drum right in front of them (the room needed a moment to sift through all the baggage in her mind to find this one bright spot).

"You like to play the drums?" he asked as he gazed at her with starry eyes. She ran her hand through her hair and attempted to hide her blushing embarrassment at being exposed.

"Yea…I guess. I forgot all about these things. I remember during the war, the squadron I was in came across this abandoned human village and I happened to see one on the ground. I didn't think much of it when I picked it up, if anything it would've been a nice souvenir if we won. One night after an extremely arduous battle, my unit retreated to a secluded area so we could recover. In order to keep my mind off the possible danger, I summoned the drum out of my gem and examined it. When I started to tap on it, I don't know…I just had this innate sense of rhythm and I just pounded away. When we lost the war, needless to say Yellow Diamond **wasn't **happy and she wanted all evidence of our defeat as well as anything related to Earth destroyed, and unfortunately that meant my drum" she explained.

"Wait…how did they know about it if it was in your gem?" he asked.

"They did a medical exam on all the soldiers to check for cracks and whatever else, and the process caused my gem to release it…" she explained.

"Oh…well…do you want to try playing again?" he tentatively asked.

She eyed the instruments in front of her and said, "…Why not?"

Steven grinned and got off her lap to hand her the dunun drum with its companion stick while he grabbed the bongos for himself.

Jasper ran her hand over the semi-rough rawhide surface and closed her eyes, trying to conjure up the memories of when last played it all those years ago. She griped the thick drumstick and started to gingerly pound on it, trying to shake off the rust. She started with singular beats, then a glint appeared in her eyes as she increased the speed and power of her strikes. The room rang with the simple, yet powerful rhythm of her playing. A small laugh erupted from her core as her confidence level increased. Soon, Steven hands subconsciously began tapping the bongos in time with her.

Then Jasper was temporarily wrought out of her rhythmical trance when she glanced at him. Steven immediately stopped playing and looked around the room, avoiding eye contact with her. "S-sorry, I just-"

"Why did you stop? We were sounding good" she asked.

"B-but"

"I was just admiring your skills" she said as she gave an awkward grin.

Steven had galaxies in his eyes when he heard the complement and they both continued where they left off.

"Man, I need to come up with a song for this! It's like a warrior dance/chant" he beamed as he laid on the bed, hands still tingling from the jam session.

"Sounds fitting" Jasper replied as she lied down between him and the sleeping tiger.

"Yea, you're really tough and super strong" he praised.

"I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about you. I was forced to be strong. I **didn't **have a choice. But you…your strength is different. It's no secret that you're lacking in terms of physical strength. But in the long run…physicality can only do so much. You just have a way with words that you can, at the very least, make others think differently. You got spunk, Steven. And I like that about you" she said as she rubbed her hand through his thick, curly hair.

Steven giggled at that.

"And I think I'll stick around to see how you do it" she said.

"Do what?" he inquired.

"Reconcile without pounding anyone into the ground" she clarified.

Steven let out yawn, the events of however long they've been in this room finally caught up with him. But he managed to say, "I don't know...**yawn**...how I do it. I guess…there's a time and place for everything. A time…to fight…and a time to…talk…like how I did…with you just now…" as he curled up into her side.

Jasper was awestruck with that realization. How was it that someone so young could have the amount of knowledge to surpass even the brightest minds back on home world? "Well…it seems like you have the talking part down. So I'll train you to be a better fighter, whaddya say?"

"Mm mm…sounds cool…I'll be like your…tiger cub…" he mumbled as he grabbed a few strands of her white hair while he tossed a bit trying to find the perfect position. Jasper just watched him with fascination. I mean just a little while ago she wanted to throttle him and bust out of wherever they were. Now he's her little Steven cub. An overwhelming sense of a renewed purpose in life caused another toothy grin to appear. Unbeknownst to her, a light shine emanated from her gem but it quickly went away.

* * *

A gentle breeze of unknown origin wafted through the room, infusing it with the scent of roses.

But Lion knew what was up with the sudden zephyr when he mentally asked, "_So this was your plan all along, huh?" _

The wind increased its velocity for an instant then resumed its leisurely pace.

"_Well…your method was unorthodox to say the least, but it worked." _

Lion opened his eyes and beheld the tranquil duo. "_Yea…he's pretty remarkable. I'll admit he's growing on me, and I'll continue to protect him." _The breeze flowed through Lion's mane, as if it were caressing him. He got up and walked over to them.

Jasper noticed her new protégé's pet approaching and tensed up. For some reason or another she instinctively placed her arm around Steven and grumbled, "What do you want?"

Lion huffed and ignored her question. He went over to Steven's side of the bed and nudged a part of him that wasn't smothered by Jasper's arm.

"_Steven. Hey, it's time to go back" _he said.

"Mmm…five more minutes…" he mumbled.

"_C'mon, don't you want to show Jasper around your room? Especially that one game with the tiger that throws boomerangs?" _

With that, Steven sprang back up and excitedly said, "Oh yea! Jasper, let's go! I want to show you everything!"

Jasper blinked a couple times, trying to make sense of human energy fluctuations, but that could wait. She smiled as she picked him up and held him in one arm. She turned around and petted the tiger one last time, before him and the bed returned to their cloudy forms.

She looked down at Lion and gave him an annoyed glare.

Steven felt the tension and said, "Jasper, don't be mad at Lion. He was just protecting me. Besides, you guys have the same soft hair!"

She sighed, once again his persuasion overruled her fighter instinct. "I-I'm sorry" she said.

Lion took it in and placed his head underneath her hand, similar to what the cloud tiger did. Jasper stared at him for a brief moment, but returned the gesture by stroking his luxurious mane.

Steven grinned at the interaction, satisfied that they were able to let bygones be bygones. "Alright! Now. Room, I'd like to go back to my beach room please"

* * *

**_Meanwhile…_**

"Again!" gasped the clearly exhausted fusion leader.

Her perfect cube-shaped afro was drooping and she was once again visibly shaking, more so from pushing her gem powers to the limit while trying to open this seemingly impenetrable barrier.

Pearl and Amethyst weren't faring too well either. Both were breathing heavily and their hair was sticking up in every which way.

But Pearl had tears cascading down her cheeks as the prospect of never seeing her baby again loomed closer to reality; it created a waterspout of distress and turmoil inside the forlorn motherly figure.

Amethyst reverted back to her animalistic tendencies as she growled and ground her teeth, frustrated at the lack of positive results.

Lapis was on her knees with her eyes closed. She couldn't stand to watch any more, and her shivering spoke volumes about how the stressful situation and the overwhelming sense of failure was affecting her since she couldn't even lend them her power. Her hands were clutched together near her heart, as she hoped beyond all odds that Steven would return to them unscathed, and of this was all merely a miss-activation of his powers.

The original trio dug in deep and summoned the energy to try and open the door again. But the repeated use caused the glow to sputter and go out.

Pearl and Amethyst collapsed to the floor, the former's body wracked with heart-wrenching sobs.

"GRAAAAH! WHY WON'T THIS STUPID DOOR OPEN?!" Amethyst yelled as she punched the ground.

Even Garnet had little tears run down her left cheek. "No...he can't be gone" she whispered. She tried to use her future vision again, but it was still hazy due to the internal duo's worry.

"Steven…" all four of them choked out.

As soon as they said that, the gems on the door did three rotations and they all regained their natural color. Immediately the familiar pink, spiky circle with a triangle in the center appeared. The door opened and the gems waited, their eyes ready to behold their little brother safe and sound.

However, Lion was the first one to emerge. Once he saw their exhausted and disheveled state, he groaned. He did **not** want to listen to another yelling match.

He moved out of the way so the other occupants could exit the temple.

The gems were speechless when the massive gem stepped onto the hard wood of the beach house. However, their unbridled hatred could be felt in the air once they noticed Steven being carried by Jasper, mistaking his drowsiness (that burst of energy didn't last very long) for battle injuries.

"**JASPER!**" they roared and Steven immediately jolted awake.

Through his half lidded eyes, he saw his enraged family with their weapons drawn. He felt Jasper tighten her grip around him. When he looked at her, he saw the same scary glare she displayed when he first released her from the bubble.

"Oh no"

* * *

**Oh snap...Steven better put those reconciliation skills to work before someone gets hurt. Stay tuned.**

**Also, thanks to those anonymous guests who wished my aunt a happy b-day and I hope everyone had a good time with their dads on Father's Day.**

**So Jasper liking drums...I figured since she's a warrior, likes to beat up on stuff and apparently has an innate sense of rhythm as evidenced when she danced with Lapis in the show, I thought it would be cool. Then I watched a bunch of videos of African tribes drumming and I don't know how else to explain it, but its empowering. And Jasper's desire to get stronger fits it to a T.**

**I got the wind scene idea from The Lion King 2 when Mufasa talks to Rafiki via the wind. I'm sure you can guess who was talking to Lion:) And the "cub" thing I got from some tumblr art from The GemBeast Temple. **

**And I felt Steven needed to knock some sense into her, I know I would've.  
**

**And those who placed their bets on me, the author, wins! Cause I control everything;) Thanks again you guys for taking the time to read this story. Still can't believe I've done 14 chapters in a little over 2 months. But it's all worth it:)**

**Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, the only thing I own are my imaginative capabilities.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to spiderwilliams13, magna154, and the anonymous guest for their idea. Thanks!  
**

* * *

"Release him. **Now**." seethed the irate two-toned leader as she cracked her gauntlet-covered knuckles.

Pearl held up her spear, although with a slight tinge of trepidation. Not so much out of fear that the four of them couldn't beat her, but mainly because she had Steven in her clutches. She couldn't afford to be careless lest he be fatally injured again.

Amethyst, surprisingly, willed herself not to throw caution to wind and utterly maul Jasper until she retreated into her gem.

Lapis stood there ready to unleash two high-pressurized water spheres, with plenty more to come thanks to her water wings providing an unlimited supply.

Jasper's survival instinct took over again as she summoned her battering helmet while continuing to glare at the crystal gems.

Steven had to work fast before he was surrounded by six regenerating gemstones.

"WAIT! DON'T FIGHT" he yelled. Immediately the lights went out and his gem summoned his bubble shield around him and Jasper. That startled the gems out of their combative mentality and everyone looked at him wide-eyed with shock and confusion.

"Jasper, can you put me down please?" he asked.

Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and Lapis were absolutely floored when Jasper **actually** complied with his request, even setting him down gently no less.

"Everyone, please! Put your weapons away! I'll explain everything. But can we go into the living room area? It's a little crowded in here" he observed.

Everyone surveyed the cramped surroundings. No doubt it was a poor area to engage battle in. There were too many important items that could break, the warp pad and temple door being the most significant. But they still kept their guard up; one small misstep and an all-out melee could start.

"Garnet, please…I'm begging you" he beseeched.

Everyone shifted their gaze towards Garnet; waiting with baited breath to see what course of action she would take. She stared at Steven's pleading face, then set her sights on Jasper. Her glare reflected off of her shades. The qualm caused by their analytical stare down sent shivers down Steven's spine. After a few tense moments, Garnet brought her gauntleted fists up in a defensive stance. Steven was about to speak and intercede, but she dismissed her weapons.

The pure gems were bewildered by her decision whereas the hybrid smiled with relief as she walked over to the disheveled couch, set the cushions in the correct places and sat down.

"Let's hear what Steven has to say" she commanded and the rest of crystal gems looked at each other apprehensively.

Jasper was still in "fight-or-flight" mode, even in the safety of Steven's bubble. That is until he grabbed her muscular hand, causing her to look down at her little cub. She could tell by the compassionate smile he gave her that everything would be alright. Jasper relented and discharged her helmet, in turn Steven dismissed his shield, baffling the rebel gems even further.

"Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis" Garnet said and the trio got the message. They hesitantly dismissed their weapons and sat down on the couch with their de facto leader.

Steven, Lion and Jasper followed suit. The fluffy familiar resting next to the extinguished fireplace and the former home world enemy leaned against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed, staring out the window. Steven stood in the middle of the room, across the coffee table from his family.

"Go ahead" Garnet said and he took a deep breath and began.

* * *

He told them about how he was thinking about how they came together again after that disastrous shopping trip and how he felt that everyone deserved to be loved, even Jasper. Then he explained how the door to his magic room felt what he thought and he and Lion went inside. Pearl slightly cringed when he said that Rose's room was his room, even if it was true.

"So why did you put it on lock down? Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?!" asked a still shaken up Pearl.

"Lock down? I didn't do that. I didn't even know the temple had a lock down" he honestly replied.

Lion roared and everyone gave him their attention. "Lion? You put it on lock down?" Steven asked.

Since the mental connection wasn't strong anymore, Lion had to resort to pantomiming. He shook his head and looked up. They followed his gaze towards Rose's portrait.

"Rose put it on lock down?! How is that possible?" asked Pearl. A part of her was excited by the fact that her sole reason for living could still be alive, but the other part was saddened at the thought that Rose didn't want them in her sanctuary with him.

"Pearl, no more questions. Let Steven finish" Garnet commanded and she reluctantly complied. Garnet nodded for him to continue and he told them how he got Jasper's gem and how she almost crushed him.

Jasper didn't even dare to look in their direction and face their hostile stares. Instead she crossed her left leg over her right and crossed her arms tighter.

Then he answered Pearl's earlier question when he explained that the room created a copy Rose that was in essence her protective side, because she didn't care whether or not Jasper lived. He continued explaining how he stopped copy Rose from destroying Jasper and in turn knocked some sense into her.

"Heh!" Amethyst grinned at that, thoroughly amused at the mental image of him slapping her across the face.

Steven paused for a moment. He went up to Jasper and asked, "D-do you want me to tell'em what happened to you, or do you want to do it? Or I won't say anything at all! I don't want to make you uncomfortable and-"

He was cut off when Jasper uncurled her arms and placed her hand on his head. Pearl, Amethyst and Lapis were about to jump off the couch, but Garnet restrained them with her shaded stare.

Jasper released a heavy sigh, looked at him and said, "…You're better with words. Tell them, I don't care." She crossed her arms again and resumed staring at the caliginous beach landscape.

Steven looked at her uneasily, but decided to heed her wishes. He told them all the atrocious things that Yellow Diamond did to her and why she's the way she was.

The original crystal gems were aghast at the state of leadership of their former home world, but Lapis wasn't surprised by this disturbing information.

Then his tone turned to cheerful note when he told them that Jasper was into drumming, how they played with a pink tiger, and how he's even her little tiger cub.

"What!? But your m-" Pearl stopped whatever she was about to say when she saw Garnet look at her. Even with the shades, she could tell by the clenched fists that she wasn't pleased that she interrupted again. She closed her mouth and looked down at the floor.

Garnet redirected her gaze at Steven and asked, "That's the whole story?"

"Y-yea…" he cautiously responded. He couldn't tell whether or not she was pleased with him for what he did.

But her response clarified her position on this whole ordeal, "Steven…what you did was extremely dangerous-"

"And absolutely asinine!" Pearl chimed in, interrupting her leader yet again.

Garnet sighed and decided to let her vent.

"How could you even think of helping her?! She's from home world! She's a bad gem!" she claimed.

"So were you!" he rebuffed and the room fell silent.

"W-what?" she asked, making sure she heard right.

"You guys came from home world too! You, Garnet, Lapis and my mom followed orders to invade Earth, grow more gems and destroy the planet! Am I right or am I wrong?!" he asked.

That thick fog of uncomfortable tension returned, but Jasper stopped leaning against the counter and quizzically looked at him with gaping eyes. She was shocked that he actually said that to them in order to defend her. Amethyst shifted uncomfortably in her seat between Garnet and Pearl, whereas the other three looked around the room, not wanting to make contact with Steven's arbitrary gaze.

"Well?!" he firmly asked and they flinched from the accusatory tone.

Garnet looked at him and shakily replied, "…Y-yes, you're right."

Satisfied with the answer he already knew, his tone turned softer and said, "Guys…I'm sorry I had to go that route. Dad told me that you guys never told me about what you did because you didn't want me to see you as bad aliens that wanted to hurt the planet. But I'll **never** see you guys like! I just wanted to put things in perspective, if that's the right word. You guys made the choice to go up against home world because you realized that murdering innocent lives to create more of your kind, and to continue that vicious cycle on other planets was wrong. You chose to be good by going against home worlds messed up rules. And I'm grateful you guys did, or else dad, my friends nor I would be here right now."

He gave them a soft smile and the original trio returned the gesture, realizing the manifestation of their personal sacrifices was standing right before their eyes.

But Lapis, on the other hand, didn't look at him. She reluctantly fought on home world's side, and even when Steven showed her kindness how did she repay him? By almost drowning him and potentially putting the whole planet at risk due to her single-minded desires. She would never forgive herself. As far as she was concerned she was still a bad gem.

Steven noticed how despondent Lapis was when he observed her hugging herself and not meeting his gaze.

He softly said, "Lapis, hold your head high. I don't care about the bad stuff, that's in the past. All I care about are the good things! You warned us when that the spaceship was coming, you protected me and nursed me back to health, and even chose to be a crystal gem and my forever buddy!"

When she heard that, tears of gratitude spilled from her eyes and she looked up and nodded in agreement with everything that he said. "T-thank you" she choked out as she dried her eyes.

He nodded, then resumed his role as intercessor. "So here's Jasper in the same boat. She realized what Yellow Diamond did was wrong-"

"Despicable" Jasper muttered.

"That too. And the only reason she went with it as long as she did was because she was afraid of dying. You can't blame her for that, can you?" he asked.

Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst and Lapis looked at each other and shook their heads no.

"_Although I might as well have been dead considering the life I lived until now…" _Jasper thought as Steven continued defending her.

"Now she wants to help! She said that she'll help me be a stronger warrior! I know how to be strong in the **_real _**way, but I want to get physically stronger too! Just because she's done terrible things in the past…doesn't mean she, or anyone else for that matter, is **bad** forever. Unless they choose to be bad forever.* Anyway, Jasper chose love over hate. Can't we…give her a chance?"

Everyone turned their attention to Garnet. She hummed as she stared off into space, using her future vision to see any immediate threats, regardless if they allowed Jasper to stay or not.

After a couple of minutes, Garnet said, "Steven. What I was about to say before Pearl interrupted me (Pearl looked away out of awkwardness) was that while you did something extremely dangerous that could've potentially killed you and destroy everything inside the temple, I am very proud of the results you've obtained. I know I've said it before, but you never cease to amaze me" she finished with a smile.

Steven sighed in relief and ran up to give Garnet a hug. As soon as he did that, the lights came back on. "So, does that mean Jasper can stay?" he asked with tiny stars in his eyes.

Garnet looked over at Jasper, who had her arms crossed again and stared right back. "…She can stay."

Although it was minuscule, Jasper's shoulders dropped slightly in relief.

Steven was about to celebrate but Garnet added, "However, she will be supervised."

Steven nodded his and said, "Right! I understand" He got off of Garnet, ran over to Jasper and grabbed her leg in an embrace. The action surprised her; she was still getting used to these acts of affection. "Don't worry Jasper, I know you'll be awesome" he declared as he gazed up at her with galaxy eyes.

Jasper couldn't help but crack a toothy smile at the merry youth. She picked him up and held him close to her head. She whispered, "So long as I've earned your trust…that's all that matters to me."

Steven smiled and closed his eyes as he dug his face in her soft locks.

The gems beheld the scene before them. Pearl puffed her cheeks out for moment, then looked away while crossing her arms.

Lapis and Amethyst just stared at the duo with gaping eyes; too shocked by how this raving titan of a gem could be reduced to putty in Steven's hands.

Garnet's demeanor didn't change one bit, still focused on the task at hand – making sure Jasper wasn't up to any funny business.

"Yawwwwnnn...mmmm" Steven let out as he lifted his face up. He eyes were almost closed and he was teetering from side to side out of exhaustion. Not a moment later, he landed on Jasper's chest and was out like a light.

Immediately Pearl popped up off the couch and said, "Time for bed. Here, allow me" trying to reach up and grab him.

But Jasper wasn't having it. "I got this" she said.

"But you've never put anything to bed before! You don't even need sleep! You don't know how he like his pillows or which stuffed animal he likes to cuddle with or-"

"Then show her" commanded Garnet.

Pearl stared at her incredulously and sputtered "E-excuse me?! You can't be serious!"

"I am. If Steven is going to be her little cub, she needs learn how to care for him. Besides, who better to teach her?"" she said as she got up and pulled out a pair of pjs for him.

Pearl blushed from the compliment, but still pinched the bridge of her pointy nose and sighed. "Very well…J-jasper, if you would" she stammered as they walked up the stairs to his sleep habitat.

Pearl moved the comforter out of the way, and motioned for Jasper to gently place him on the blue, cotton-sheet covered mattress. She stayed in the kneeling position and used her massive hand support his back so he could stay upright in the sitting position, even though his sleepy head lolled to the side a bit. Garnet proceeded to remove his new outfit and put on his striped pajamas. Lapis and Amethyst were still in the living room area, but moved further out to see the bizarre scene taking place.

"I guess pigs are flying somewhere" commented Amethyst.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Lapis.

"It's a human saying, meaning that something will never happen. And when it does happen, all you can do is shrug your shoulders and keep on going. I mean Jasper tucking Steven into bed? I'm surprised bacon ain't falling out the sky" she said.

Lapis was still thoroughly confused by the references to Earth animals, but got the gist of it. "…Well, Garnet said he was an impossibility. What's impossible for us is normal for him" she replied.

"True dat" Amethyst said as she shrugged her shoulders.

Once he was comfortable with his time doctor bear bear by his side, Jasper walked around to the unoccupied side of the bed and sat down.

"What're you doing?!" Pearl whispered.

"What does it look like? I'm going to sleep with him" Jasper replied.

Pearl blushed furiously and had to circumvent herself from screaming from the top of her illusionary lungs. "You can't do that!"

"Why not?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

Pearl struggled to come up with a response. It was quite apparent that Jasper didn't know the double meaning to what she said. She could hear Amethyst snicker in the background and that only irritated her further. "Because…because…because you just can't! What if you crush him?!"

There, that's a legitimate reason. She gave herself a mental high five for her cleverness.

Jasper raised one eyebrow and said, "Uh huh…Look. For whatever reason, Steven makes me calm. And you already know what I'm like when I'm not. So, until I get used to all…this, I'm sticking to him, got it? Besides, we already laid together in Rose's room and he was snuggling up to me then."

Pearl would've had an aneurysm when she heard that. Even though Steven just explained what happened in there, hearing Jasper say it put it on a whole different level. She shook her head to get those thoughts out of her head; she **really **needed to get her mind out of the gutter.

Amethyst couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing hysterically.

"Amethyst! We have to be quiet!" chided Lapis and Amethyst got somewhat under control.

She wiped the gleeful tears out of her eyes and thought, _"Man! Maybe having Jasper around won't be so bad after all!" _

"Okay, okay! I'm okay" she wheezed out, but another look at Pearl's flushed face made her seal her lips shut and run into her room where the sounds of her laughter could echo freely.

Lapis just stared at the temple door and thought, _"…What have I gotten myself into?"_

Pearl held her hand to her forehead and tried to come up with another excuse.

Before she could say anything, Garnet put her hand on her shoulder and said, "Let her do what she wants. It's been a **long **day, and I've had enough. Pearl, go to your room and try to relax. Lapis and I will stay here…downstairs" she clarified before Pearl could ask where.

She sighed in defeat. Now she was zero for however many nights that she couldn't secretly watch Steven throughout the night. She slowly walked downstairs as if she had lead in her shoes and eventually made her way to the temple door. She opened it and the cold mist of her water towers felt refreshing against her skin as she went inside.

_"…Hmph. Still clingy to her assignment I see."_ Jasper thought as she got in a comfortable position.

The bed dipped slightly from her weight, and instinctively Steven inched closer to the newly formed depression. Once he got close to her hefty form, he curled into her side. She was startled when she heard a sudden sound.

"What was that?" she asked, afraid that the paranoid Pearl's prediction might come to fruition.

"He's snoring" Garnet replied.

"Is that normal?" she asked.

"Yes, he only does that when he's in a deep sleep…seems he feels secure around you to drop his guard completely like that."

Jasper looked down at her curled up cub and revealed a small grin. She placed her arm around him and looked at the crystal leader. "…Look. I know we didn't start off on good terms. I did things and said things that I'm **really** regretting now and I-"

Garnet held her hand up to stop her and said, "That's irrelevant now. Like Steven told Lapis, it's in the past. Learn and grow from it. You chose love over hate because you liked how it felt. I mean, you're looking at two prime examples of the embodiment of love right here" pointing to herself and Steven. "You've been given this chance, don't mess it up" she asserted as she walked over to her and extended Sapphire's gem embedded hand out.

Jasper looked at the outstretched hand and showed a cocky smile. "I won't" she said as she shook Garnet's hand with an iron grip and accepted the challenge.

Garnet went downstairs and turned off the lights. She and Lapis sat on the couch whereas Jasper closed her eyes and tried to mimic what Steven was doing. After tens of millennia, this was probably the first time she's ever experienced peace of mind.

"Hey Garnet?" asked Lapis. This was the first time she's been alone with her, so she was a bit intimidated.

"Yes?"

"Do you think…I can have my own room in the temple?" She realized that everyone had their own space except her. It didn't bother her before because all she was concerned with was taking care of Steven. But now…she could really use a place to unwind and be herself. Correction, _find _herself.

Garnet smiled and said, "I'm surprised you didn't ask earlier. We'll start tomorrow, I don't want the lights and sounds to disturb him."

Lapis nodded and smiled as she said, "Thank you." She relaxed into the cushions and closed her eyes, trying to let the stresses of the day flow off of her. "…Is it always like this?" she asked.

"Not always…but I wouldn't have it any other way" Garnet responded.

Lapis thought about what she said and considering all that she went through, this environment was the best she's ever been a part of.

"Me too" she said as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**I'd want Steven defending me any day! But it looks like Jasper has an uphill battle to climb to earn the gems trust, especially Pearl's. How will she fare? Stay tuned for part 2 of Project: Turnaround(cool! my first arc!).**

***I got that idea from a My Little Pony comic where it deals with Trixie and how she's trying to prove to everyone that she's not bad anymore, so I thought it would work.**

**As always, I thank you guys for your input and for taking time to read my work. To be honest, I didn't think I'd get this far, but here I am, 15 in and many more to come, if you'll have it :) **


	16. Chapter 16

"GRAAAAAA!"

"YAAAAAAH!"

High above the tranquil beach landscape, on the verdant hilltop, the yells of a protégé and his teacher signaled the amelioration of his fighting abilities.

….Sort of.

"Jasper! You can't be too rough with him! He's still recovering from when **you** pummeled him!" shrilled Pearl. Steven wasn't even within five feet of Jasper when Pearl's concerned rant stopped them in their tracks.

"Grrrr…look! You don't need to remind me every five minutes that I hurt my cub ok?! I said I was sorry! And how're we supposed to train if you won't even let me touch him?!" countered the clearly frustrated striped gem.

"Dr. Maheswaran said to ease him into physical activity!" she stated.

"What the heck do you think I'm doing?! All were doing is charging and dodging! Well, we can't even do that because you keep interrupting us!" the burly gem retorted.

Then she thought, "_Seriously, why did it have to be her?!"_

She knew the answer; the others were helping Lapis form her new room in the temple and Amethyst was talking about decorating it with some of the items from her "treasury."

Before Pearl had a chance to respond, the person at the heart of the matter stepped in and yelled, "Guys, Stop!"

The two gems looked down at the hybrid as he said, "Jasper, please don't get mad at Pearl. She's just trying to make sure I'm safe."

Pearl smiled and silently gloated in her head.

But that internal celebration came to an abrupt halt when Steven looked at her and said, "And Pearl, you got to let me train. I've been in bed for a week and I'm rusty. I have to get back in shape and get stronger! So promise me that unless I say otherwise, you won't interfere. I trust Jasper. I know she won't hurt me."

Jasper showed a cocky grin and said, "You heard him. Back off and let the **warriors** work."

Pearl puffed her cheeks and replied, "And you heard him as well! I'm staying right over there to make sure you don't **break** his arm."

Pearl and Jasper glared at each other and simultaneously said, "**FINE**!"

Steven sighed in relief. He knew that they had his best interests in mind, but he wished that they would stop butting heads and realize that they were working toward the same goal of helping him be the best he could be. Albeit through different ways.

Pearl went back a couple feet to give them some space to practice.

Jasper and Steven went back to their positions and she said, "Remember cub, when charging an opponent it's all about misdirection. Making your opponent think you're doing one thing when you're really doing something else."

"How come you didn't do that when you were fighting Garnet on the ship?" he honestly asked.

Pearl snickered when he asked that.

Jasper frowned when she heard her, but sighed and said, "Back then, I wanted to prove that I had the strength of a fusion…I wasn't thinking clearly. And don't you say anything!" she said pointing her finger at Pearl. "And that brings me to my next lesson, if you don't have a clear mind, you've already lost the battle."

Steven nodded in understanding and she said, "Now, come at me!"

They resumed their battle cries and charged towards each other. When he was close enough, Steven made a subtle move the left and Jasper took the bait. Just like a basketball player, he juked to the right, making her stumble. He sprinted around her back, grabbed her flowing hair and using all the strength he had to pull her to the ground.

"Well done Steven!" cheered Pearl as she clapped.

The young cub looked down at his tiger master and asked, "Like that?"

She looked up at him and couldn't help but chuckle. "Yea. Something like that. But always remember…never let your guard down!" She immediately flipped over, grabbed him by the shirt and threw him high into the air.

Of course Pearl had a conniption. "JASEPR! Are you out of your mind?!"

Jasper merely looked up and replied, "Just watch and you might learn something."

Meanwhile, Steven stopped accelerating up into the atmosphere and took in his surroundings. _"Hey! Beach City looks like a little dot"_ he thought.

That is until the dot kept getting bigger. "AHHHH! What I am going to do?!" he panicked as he flailed about. Then he remembered what Jasper told him about having a clear mind.

He took a deep breath and realized that he could activate his bubble shield and be fine. Then he got really excited when he figured out that this could be a new move!

Jasper and Pearl kept staring at the sky. "…Huh, didn't realize I threw him that hard…" Jasper commented.

Pearl ran her hands through her hair and started to hyperventilate. "I swear I'm gonna-"

Before she could finish her threat, they saw what looked like a meteor falling from the sky.

Jasper smiled and said, "Told you he'd be just fine" but Pearl wasn't listening. All she could visualize was Steven engulfed in flames.

"C'mon, we should move" Jasper nonchalantly said as she dragged Pearl's stupefied body away from the potential impact site.

Not a moment later, Steven's bubbled crashed on top of the cliff, mere yards away from the two gems. The impact created a deep crater and shook the whole mountain side. When the dust settled, the gems walked over and looked down. There they could see the signature pink bubble shield and the sole occupant unharmed.

Steven dismissed the bubble and shouted, "WOOHOO! That was awesome! Let's do it again!"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" screamed Pearl as she jumped down the hole to check him for injuries.

"Pearl, I'm okay. Really" he said as she lifted his arms and checked his head for a concussion. She sighed in relief. She picked him up and jumped out of the hole.

When Steven looked at the crater he awed, "Whoaaaa, I had no idea it was **that** deep…"

"You knucklehead! What if Steven didn't activate his shield?!" Pearl angrily asked.

"Then I would've jumped up and caught him. And "what ifs" don't matter once the action is done" Jasper responded.

Steven was about to play intercessor again, but another voice permeated the area. "What's going on here? I felt the temple shake."

"Garnet!" shouted Steven, excited to share what he just learned.

Pearl, on the other hand, had different ideas. "Garnet, thank goodness you're here! You need to knock some sense into her!"

"Why?" asked the gem leader.

"She just threw Steven up in the air like it was no big deal!" she tattled.

Garnet looked over at Jasper, who had her arms crossed, then over at the deep chasm. She asked the protégé, "Are you alright?"

"Yea, I'm good! I just remembered what Jasper said about keeping my mind clear and summoned my bubble shield! Now I have cool move! I gonna call it…Atomic Ground Pound!"

"Atomic Ground Pound?" all three of them asked.

"Yea! Y'see there's this dinosaur in one my fighting games and he uses a move called "Ground Pound" to squash his enemies…or her enemies. I don't know if it's a boy or a girl since all of them lay eggs but anyway! It's kinda like how you spiked Amethyst onto the beach and created that huge glass spiky thing to defeat the puffer fish monster. Hey! Do you think I can invert that spiky bubble of mine so that when I land I can shoot spikes out like an asteron from the Metropolis zone?"

"Whoa, slow down Steven" said Garnet as the three of them tried to decipher his ramblings.

"_What the heck is an asteron?"_ Jasper whispered to Pearl, but she merely shrugged. But once they realized how close they were to each other, they immediately distanced themselves.

Garnet smiled and rubbed his head. "Sounds like you have a lot of ideas and I can't wait to see them in action. But for now, let's put the training on hold."

"Aww…why?" he asked.

"The impact from your Atomic Ground Pound disrupted the building process of Lapis' room. And also, I don't want the city to think there's another space vessel crashing into the mountain again."

"…Oh, okay. Sorry about that" he apologized.

"It's alright, you didn't know. Maybe you can work on that move over on Mask Island. For now, how about you show Jasper around town?"

Stars returned to the youth's eyes as he pictured all the things they could do together. He ran up to Jasper, grabbed her hand and said, "C'mon Jasper! I gotta take you the arcade and Fun Land, get fry bits and donuts, go-"

"Alright, alright, little cub. You don't have to take my arm off" she said cutting him off.

Steven led her down the hill with Pearl following close behind.

Well…that is until Garnet said, "Pearl, wait. I need you back at the temple."

"What? Why?" she asked.

"I need you to redirect the flow from a few of your water towers so it ends up in Lapis' room" she explained.

"B-but, whose going to supervise them?" she asked, clearly not liking the prospect of leaving Jasper alone with Steven.

"ROARRRR!" Steven's cotton candy king made his presence known when he emerged from behind the lighthouse.

"Lion!" Steven exclaimed as he ran up to hug him.

That's when the solution to the supervision dilemma became crystal clear. "Lion will watch over them" Garnet announced.

"WHAT? Lion?!" Pearl said in disbelief.

"Yes, Lion. He can handle it. You've seen him in action" she reminded Pearl when he fought Jasper on multiple occasions. "He'll let us know if something goes awry, right?"

Lion grunted in response. "I'll take that as a yes."

Jasper was fine with the pink pet tailing them. "_Better him than her"_ she thought.

Pearl sighed in defeat and followed Garnet back to their abode.

Once they were out of sight (Pearl kept looking back every five seconds), Jasper asked, "So where we are going first?"

"Hmmm…let's go to the big donut! I kinda promised Lion some lion lickers" Steven said.

When he mentioned his favorite treat, Lion picked him up and slung him over his back. He trotted down the hill while Jasper shook her head and grinned. She had to run to keep pace with them.

Once they reached the eating establishment, Steven got off of Lion and commanded, "Lion, you wait outside. We'll be back."

Lion yawned and sat over in the shady side of the Big Donut. Like a true gentleman, he opened the door for Jasper and they went inside.

* * *

"Hey Lars!" Steven cheerfully called, oblivious to the brooding teen's annoyed aura.

"Yea yea" he responded.

"Where's Sadie?" he asked.

"Tch, she called off. Something about twisting her ankle while jump roping. Which means I get stuck with all the work!" he vented.

"Oh…I hope she gets better soon…" he said.

"Yea, you and me both" he said.

"_Maybe I can go over to her house later and see if I can heal her"_ thought the concerned youth.

"Anyway, whaddya want? And who's the big buff cheeto puff?" he asked as he noticed Jasper observing the sights and smells of the human food store.

"Oh right! Lars, this is Jasper, my new friend!" When she heard her name, she walked up to the counter and stared at the lanky human.

"Jasper, this is Lars!" he introduced.

She could already sense that this "Lars" human had a bad vibe around him because of his indifferent demeanor; needless to say he wasn't like Steven. "Uh huh" she responded and resumed looking around.

Lars rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever. So what do you want?" When he actually looked at Steven, he noticed the new outfit he was wearing. "What's with the new shirt?" he asked.

"Oh, you like it? Buck helped me make it yesterday!" he explained.

Immediately, Jasper picked up Lars' downward turn in his attitude. Years of training helped her pick up on subtle changes in emotion. And after thousands of years dealing with Yellow Diamond, she was adept at picking up on concealed animosity. She stood beside Steven just in case something happened.

"_Why would Buck keep hanging out with him?! What's this little squirt doing that I'm not?!" _Lars thought as he narrowed his eyes at Steven.

"Any who, I'll have a lion licker and two donuts please. Sadie said that I could have one for free, so long as she works here" Steven explained.

That's when Lars showed a devious grin and said, "Sorry, can't give you one for free."

"What? But Sadie said-"

"You just told me that you get a free one _so long as she works here._ But she's not working today, is she?" he sneered.

"But…but she didn't get fired! She just took the day off to rest" he asserted.

"Hey man, I'm just stating the facts" he snidely commented.

In truth, Sadie told him about Steven's free donut and even threatened to punch him mercilessly if he didn't give it to him. But after hearing how he was basically one of the cool kids now, his jealously reared its ugly and he wanted to knock him down a few pegs. He chuckled to himself, enjoying how despondent the hybrid had become.

By then, Jasper had had enough of his arrogance and her fighting instinct took over. She reached over the counter, grabbed Lars by the collar of his shirt and held him up high.

"W-w-hoa! Hey! What're you doing?! Put me down!" he yelled as he tried to squirm out of her iron grip.

"Shut up! How dare you make my little cub sad by lying to his face! Now, you'd better give him what he wants or I'm gonna crush all your bones into dust!" She wasn't playing around as she clenched her fist and drew her arm back – ready to follow through with her threat.

Before she released her canon punch, Steven grabbed her leg and pleaded, "Jasper, don't do it! Let him go!"

"But he lied to you! And wouldn't give you your treats!" she retorted.

"A donut isn't worth people getting hurt over! We'll just come back another time" he calmly said.

Once again, his gift of reconciliation quenched the fighter fire burning in her core. She turned her head to face the teenager again; he flinched under her intimidating glare. "If I find out you pulled this stunt on him again, I'll twist **your** ankles off!" she seethed.

Lars gulped and nodded in understanding. She dropped him and surprisingly he didn't land on his bottom.

Jasper was about to tell him to apologize to her cub, but he beat her to the punch. "S-Steven…I'm sorry. I…I was a jerk. I was just annoyed about doing all the work."

"That's still no excuse!" Jasper asserted.

"Yea…I know. Here" He went around the counter and picked out three of Steven's favorites and put'em in a bag. "On the house" he said.

Steven looked at the bag, then up at Lars. He saw how he regretted his earlier actions and he smiled.

"Thank you" he said, then ran around the corner and placed his hand on his chest – their signature hand shake.

He retracted his hand and Lars looked away out of embarrassment. "Yea, yea. Don't forget that licker thing" he reminded him.

Steven went to refrigerator that housed the misshapen lion ice cream and grabbed one for his sleeping protector. "Bye Lars!" he said and he and Jasper walked out the door.

"Lioooon, I got your treeeeeat!" he sing-songed and said furry companion woke up from his short siesta and went over to the duo. "C'mon, let's go sit over there" Steven suggested as he pointed to the bench that Mayor Dewy christened.

The trio went over to the seating area that over looked the arcade. Jasper and Steven sat on the wooden structure whereas Lion sat on the warm sand behind them.

Steven opened the lion licker, gave it to him, and he ate it in four chews. "How is it that you don't get brain freeze?" he asked Lion. He merely burped in content and settled down for another nap.

* * *

Then he opened the bag of donuts and asked Jasper, "Which one would you like?" Jasper looked at the various glazed circles and pulled out a chocolate covered one with butter cream icing striped across it. He grabbed a blue sprinkle one and said, "Cheers!" as he tapped his donut against hers and proceeded to eat it.

But Jasper just stared at hers.

"…Something wrong with your donut?" he asked in between bites.

"No, it's not the donut. Why were so understanding to that guy, and even defended him, when you **knew** he was wrong?" she asked.

He swallowed and said, "The same reason why I defended you. I know that Lars has…issues, and sometimes he doesn't know how to handle it. That's why he can be a jerk sometimes. Like I said, there's a time to fight and a time to talk, or sometimes it's better to walk away. I knew it was pointless to fight over a donut, because in the long run…it's not important. I could've gotten one once he calmed down or when Sadie worked again. But at least he knows that if he keeps treating people that way, they won't always be so forgiving."

Jasper absorbed everything that was said and asked, "How are you so wise?"

"I dunno. I don't think of myself as being all that wise. I guess some of it comes from experience and I've experienced **a lot** of things. And the rest comes from what dad and the gems taught me. Like "If every pork chop, we wouldn't have hot dogs."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"I think it means if no one didn't have any flaws, there wouldn't be anything to strive for. Y'know, to be a better you in unexpected ways" he explained.

She looked at her donut, whose icing was melding together due to the heat. She took a bite of the treat and savored the sweetness. Her eyes lit up and she inhaled the whole thing.

"That…was really good!" she said.

Stars showed up in Steven's eyes. He took out the last donut, a cinnamon sugar one, broke it in half and gave one half to her.

She accepted his generosity and they cheered again before consuming them. "Huh…this is unexpected. There's definitely that… what's the word? It makes your mouth tingle. Like that brown one I ate."

"Sweet?"

"Is that it? Okay, then there's a taste that make my mouth tingle with fire…"

"Spicy?"

"Yea! It's amazing how these two opposite tastes come together"

"Like you and Pearl!" he chimed in.

"What?"

"Yea! You guys wanted to help me get stronger, but it kinda fell apart because your guys' ways of doing it were so different. But once you guys figure out how to combine your spicy with her sweet, then you guys will be an amazing, teaching tag team!"

"…That's an interesting way of putting it. We'll see" she responded as she wiped the remnants of the confectionary treat off on her leg.

She watched as Steven licked his sprinkled fingers clean, then noticed his shirt. "That human, Lars right? Anyway he asked about your shirt. What's up with all the colors?"

"Mm! It represents all the crystal gems. Like how Lapis is blue, Pearl is cream and so on. The little pink star is for me, dad, mom and Lion. I wonder if Buck will help me make me a new one."

"What's wrong with this one?" she asked.

"Your color's not in it" he replied.

"M-my color?"

"Yea! Maybe I can fit orange between Lapis and Amethyst…"

"But you said this shirt represents the crystal gems. And no offense, they don't trust me all that much."

"Don't worry, they will soon. And besides, I know I said it represents the gems, but my dad isn't a gem. But he's an important part of my life; he's family. Just like you!"

Jasper stared at him with wide eyes.

Steven took it as he was being too pushy and immediately back tracked, "I-I mean if you want to. Be a part of my family I mean. You don't have t-"

He was cut off when she rubbed his head. "I'll say this much. Being near you makes me want to better myself…and I couldn't think of a more unexpected way to have it happen."

Steven sported the biggest grin he could muster. He climbed into her lap and gave her a big hug. Lion cracked one eye open and beheld the tender moment. He purred in contentment and resumed relaxing. After a couple of minutes, they released from the hug and Steven was still beaming. That's when he noticed a faint glow emanating from Jasper's gem.

"Hey Jasper…I think your gem is glowing."

"What?!" she panicked as she covered her gem with one hand. She laid her head back and growled in annoyance.

"O-or it could've been the glare from the sun." he suggested.

She sighed and said, "…No, it's not the sun…" as she lowered her hand.

"Jasper, it's okay. Garnet told me that gems glow whenever they're happy, and she also told me that home world forbade you guys from doing it." He explained to her how he learned about the gem glow and said, "I'm sorry if I made you feel weird. I just want you to be happy, you don't have to hide it."

She looked down at him and gave a small smile. "Thanks…it'll take me a while to get used to thinking like that though." Steven understood and gave her another hug.

"So, where to next?" Jasper asked, wanting to dispel the awkwardness.

"Well, since we're here…let's go to the arcade!" he said as he pointed across the boardwalk. They got up off the bench and walked over to the wonderland of electronic gamevention. Lion stayed put – he trusted them. Jasper took in all the bright lights and flashing screens and it caused her to grab her head for a moment.

"Jasper, are you okay?" Steven asked.

"…Yea, I'm fine. It's just...all these lights remind me of what…she…did to me."

"I-I'm sorry! C'mon let's go somewhere else" he insisted, but Jasper stood still.

"No, I'm okay. I just have to remember that we're not on home world. That I'm safe."

Steven grabbed her hand to support her and said, "If you're sure, then okay. Here, I think you'll like this one!" He dragged her over to punch buddy, who thankfully recovered from when Garnet destroyed him. "For this game, you have to punch it as hard as you can" he explained.

Jasper cracked her knuckles and smirked, "Sounds good to me" as she pictured Yellow Diamond's face on the punching dummy.

"Wait! Don't use your full strength! Garnet did and she broke it! Then I got in trouble. This game was built to test human strength, and you're about a billion times stronger than a normal human. Try flicking it" he said as he demonstrated the motion.

She sighed and said, "Alright…" She got in position and he put a token in.

The game started up and punch buddy said, "C'mon! Give it your best shot kid!"

Jasper flicked punch buddy right between the eyes and the power index reached all the way to one thousand! "I want my mommy!" the punch buddy cried and tickets started flowing out of the machine like money out of a broken ATM.

"Jasper…you are so AWESOME! Look at all these tickets" he marveled as he held up the large pile of mini paper squares.

"Psh…it was nothing" she gloated.

"C'mon, let's go trade these in for prizes!"

"Prizes?"

She followed him over to the counter where an assortment of items were lined up on the shelves.

"Hey Mr. Smiley" Steven greeted the bald, mustached man wearing a geometric shape-pattered shirt.

"Steven!" he semi-shouted.

Steven took a step back, afraid that he was still mad about breaking the rides and the games. Jasper put her fists up and prepared for the worst.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Y-you are?"

"Yea! Your dad told me what happened to you and what you did and man…all I can say is thank you. Here, just a token of my gratitude." He handed Steven a laminated golden card that was attached to a star patterned lanyard. He took it and read the inscription, "LIFETIME FRONT OF THE LINE PASS."

Steven's eyes had stars, diamonds and possibly even rhombuses as he stared wide-eyed at the gift. He gasped and just pointed at the card, silently asking if this was for real. Mr. Smiley nodded his head and Steven excitedly whispered, "Thannnk Yooooou."

"Your welcome. Now, let's see how many tickets you have" he said as he took Jasper's mountain of mini squares to insert them into the ticket counter. A moment later, he came back with a paper slip and read, "You have 2000 tickets."

"What prize do you want Jasper?" Steven asked.

"What do you mean? I got those for you. You pick" she replied.

He hugged her leg and thanked her. "Hmmm let's see" he hummed as he scanned the wall of prizes. "I'll take the remote airplane, the fish snow globe, the pink lion, the tiger, those sunglasses, and the ballerina figurine" he said as he picked out prizes from the three hundred price range.

"That's six. Tell you what, even though you only have two hundred left you can pick out one more from the two hundred up to four hundred" Mr. Smiley offered.

"Really?! Okay! Then I'll get…those headphones please."

The exuberant owner of the arcade placed all of Steven's prizes into a plastic bag and gave it to the excited child.

"Thank you Mr. Smiley!" he said as he waved good-bye.

Steven reached into the bag and said, "Here, this is for you."

"The tiger? But I told you-"

"I know, but I wanted to get everyone a prize, so I got the tiger for you, Amethyst the airplane, Garnet the sunglasses, Lapis the fish globe, Pearl the ballerina, dad the head phones and the lion is for me!"

Jasper examined the stuffed animal and thought, _"…This is first gift I've ever received that didn't involve pain…" _She immediately wiped the mist out of her eyes and said, "Thank you" as she stored the tiger inside her gem.

"Your welcome! C'mon, let's take these home so we can surprise'em! Then I'll show you the rest of the city and we can have another drumming session on the beach. Maybe Amethyst has a couple of drums in her room" he said as he slung the bag over his back.

Noticing him struggle with the weight of the items she said, "Here, I got this" and he handed the bag to her.

"Lion, time to go" he called.

The assigned watcher stretched, shook off any sand grains that were lodged in his fur and followed the duo.

"Hey Jasper! Can you put some of your hair in front of your mouth please?"

Jasper gave a quizzical look, but did as she was told." "Like this?" she muffled.

"Yea! Now you look like Santa!"

She gave him a blank look.

"Oh…right. Santa Clause was a mythical man that had a white beard and wore a red suit. He would carry a bag of toys and give gifts to all the good children and coal to all the bad ones. Now to honor his legacy, we give gifts in order to show how much we love each other" he explained.

"Well, the day you get coal is the day the sun explodes" she commented as she let her hair fall back in place behind her. Steven smiled at that.

They continued walking and Jasper asked, "Isn't hard to show that kind of unconditional love?"

"…Sometimes, especially if they don't return it. But dad told me that love isn't a feeling, it's a lifestyle. I could choose to be a bitter jerk and sour puss. But what'll that get me? Loneliness and a whole lotta nothing. If people don't want love, then that's their loss" he explained.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not losing out on it anymore" she said as she ruffled his head.

* * *

**_Meanwhile..._**

"Sheesh, that took forever! I need a protein power-up" Amethyst said as she, Garnet and Pearl exited the temple.

"But Lapis likes her room, so that's all that matters. Good job gems" congratulated Garnet.

"Yea, gotta admit it does look pretty sweet. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't want to leave. Maybe I should redo my room…" Amethyst commented as she rummaged through the fridge.

Garnet hummed, thinking about doing the same thing to her rooms, but noticed that Pearl was a bit…distant. "Pearl, what's troubling you?" the leader asked.

"Where's Steven? He should've been back by now" she answered with a slight bite in her tone as she stared out the window.

"You know him. Once he's excited, it's hard to stop him. Plus you know how he likes to show everyone a good time. He'll be fine" Garnet assured.

"How do you know?!" she turned around and questioned, her irritation rising along with her voice volume.

"Uh, she has future vision, remember? And where's all this coming from?" asked Amethyst.

"Gee I don't know…maybe it's because I seem to be the only one concerned that he's hanging around a gem that nearly beat him to **death**! And what good is future vision if she's possibly leaving out dangerous details?!" she retorted.

"Pearl" Garnet said while gripping her shoulder. "I know that you're worried and scared, but you need to calm down. Steven was able to change Jasper's heart. Her very nature. He has a power unlike anything I've ever seen and we need to believe in him."

But Pearl brushed her hand off of her and yelled, "You can't be serious! Do you honestly think that a slap to the face, a hug and talking is enough to change someone like her?!"

"Sometimes, that's all it takes. Right now, he's three for three for turning around corrupted gems. Something his mother couldn't even accomplish" replied Garnet, whose calm demeanor began to deteriorate as she tapped her foot out her own rising annoyance with Pearl's attitude.

_"Oh boy, this ain't gonna be good"_ thought Amethyst as she observed Pearl's body tense up.

Her hair started to lose its pointy style and she clenched her fists. With mist in her eyes she screamed, "How dare you speak ill of Rose!"

"She didn't talk bad about her! All she said was that Steven is able to do something that she couldn't! You said it yourself back when he bubbled the centipeedle! News flash, ROSE WASN'T PERFECT!" Amethyst retorted, clearly upset that Pearl was having another one of her episodes and lashing out at everyone.

"So what?! I'd rather have her now than him! He's just a child who doesn't know anything! If she were here, everything would be like how it used to be! We'd all be happy because we wouldn't have all these changes taking places and not knowing what to do!" she ranted while panting.

Garnet and Amethyst just stared at her slack-jawed; they couldn't believe that she actually said that.

And unfortunately for them, they weren't the only ones who heard **that. **

The squeak of the screen door made everyone turn their heads towards the front of the house and they were absolutely mortified at what they saw.

Jasper was holding the door open with Steven right outside the entry way.

He just looked at them through constricted pupils, trying to will his mind to look past what he just heard. That Pearl was just having a bad day. But this was too much for his mind to handle; to know that the one he admired felt this way behind his back. He pupils dilated and filled with pools of distressed tears. He was shaking; he clenched his fists, trying to keep the dam from breaking. But it was no use.

"Nngh…nng…WAAAAAAAAH!" he wailed at the top of his lungs as if he was a newborn and sprinted past Jasper and Lion, running to who knows where. Just anywhere but here.

"STEVEN!" yelled Garnet and Amethyst, whereas Pearl was frozen in place. Lion chased after him.

Jasper watched as the pink protector go after her little cub…her cub that **she** hurt. When that realization hit her, Jasper's soft locks became as spiky as a porcupine. She ground her fangs together and sharply turned her head to face the source of Steven's misery. Garnet and Amethyst took a step back once they saw the look in Jasper's eyes. If looks could kill, they'd all be reforming in their gems right now.

**"YOU!"** she snarled as dropped the bag of presents and charged at Pearl.

Garnet and Amethyst summoned their weapons to stop her, but she barreled past them and grabbed the stupefied gem by the collar of her shirt and threw her hard against the temple door.

"GAH! …Hrrgh" she grunted in pain as she tried to lift herself. But Jasper helped her by kicking her up in the stomach and caught her midair by grabbing the back of her shirt. She shifted her grip so she was grabbing the front of her shirt again.

Pearl took a deep intake of air and cracked her eyes open to see Jasper glaring death daggers at her and her arm spring loaded, ready to launch a punch that would've undoubtedly crushed her gem to dust.

Before she unleashed her punch, Amethyst wrapped her whip around her arm and sent a shock wave through it to separate them. It didn't even phase her, but it did snap her back into a more stable state of mind. She looked at the purple studded whip wrapped around her bicep. She lifted her arm up and bit through the whip, releasing its hold on her. She turned around and saw the others poised to continue fighting, but she aggressively tossed Pearl onto the couch.

The time for fighting was done. Now it was time to talk.

"What the heck is wrong with you?! I don't care what you think about me, but how could you possibly think so little of Steven?! You said things would be better if Rose was still around, huh? Well guess what? She along with the rest you guys would've been hit by the destabilizer and been on a one way trip to home world to meet your fate!" she yelled.

"Stop it. Stop it! STOP IT! JUST SHUT UP! You don't know how it feels to know the person you loved chose someone else over you, and now is gone forever!" she cried.

Garnet and Amethyst dismissed their weapons and watched the exchange between them.

Jasper narrowed her eyes and growled, "At least you got to experience love! All I've ever experienced is pain and anger. You should be grateful that you still get to experience Steven's unconditional love, because as sure as the diamonds still rule the home world you sure as heck don't deserve it!"

Pearl didn't have a comeback for that. But Jasper wasn't finished.

"And what's this nonsense about him not knowing anything?! Sure he doesn't know how to fully use his powers, but just from the short time I've spent with him, his wisdom rivals that of the brightest minds on home world! I mean C'mon! He's broke you guys out of our force field prisons. In fact, if he wasn't here…you'd all be dead."

The air hung heavy around Pearl with that realization. She was so caught up in her own petty feelings and refused to move on that she didn't realize what she had.

"Did you ever tell Rose how you felt?" she asked.

Pearl whispered something that Jasper couldn't pick up.

"Speak up!"

"I said No!" she replied with tears in her eyes.

"So that means she was never yours. She was free to be whoever she wanted to be with. But you couldn't be happy for her. Instead you chose to be a bitter jerk that concealed her true feelings. I bet you wished that he died so by the off chance, Rose would come back."

That's when she stood up and yelled, "YOU SHUT UP! I may miss Rose, but I would never want anything to happen to my baby!"

She looked at her with an analytical stare when she said that. "Really? Cause you have a funny way of showing it! You wanna know what he talked about while we were out? He told me about the shirt, about how he made your gems glow and how you and I could put our differences aside and be the perfect teaching tag team, like a cinnamon sugar donut. So tell me, what did you think about when Steven made your gem glow?"

Pearl got quiet. "I-I was thinking about fusing…with Rose" she answered.

Everyone looked at her with wide eyes.

"…You really are a defective Pearl. Didn't even think about the hurt kid who wanted to make you feel better. Y'know what? Screw you. Stay in your bubble for all I care. I'm gonna go find **my** little cub."

She walked past them, but stopped at the door. "Steven picked these out for you guys…I guess they'll all go to waste now" she said as she picked up the prize bag and tossed it to Garnet.

She left the beach abode to let the gems sort out their issues.

She followed the footprints and paw prints in the sand, but just as she was about to enter the city the diamond on her chest suddenly started flashing.

"Are you freakin' kidding me?!" she shouted. She growled, trying to decide her next move. "Grrrr…I swear!" She ran in the opposite direction to track the source of the signal.

_"She'd better pieces or else I'm gonna break her into pieces!"_ she thought.

* * *

**_Back at the house_**

The gem door opened up with a wide, blue vertical line - using the newly installed Lapis Lazuli gemstone.

"Guys! What going on?! I heard banging against the temple door! Sorry I took so long, I got a little lost" asked Lapis.

"Oh y'know, the usual. Just us screwing everything up with Steven again!" said Amethyst with tears in her eyes.

"What? What happened?" she repeated.

Nobody said a word. She saw Garnet hunched over a bag and Pearl with her knees to her chest, crying her heart out.

"Here" Garnet said as she handed Lapis the long, arch-shaped fish globe.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A gift…from Steven" the leader choked out.

"Probably a parting gift…" lamented Amethyst.

"Parting gift? Where did he go? Is he alright? What's going on?!" Lapis asked again.

"I'll explain everything. For now…we need to give her some space" Garnet said while pointing at Pearl. "Both of them actually" she added. She griped the box of sunglasses and Amethyst held the toy airplane to her chest as they all entered the temple.

Pearl was left behind, alone with her thoughts. She looked up and saw the ballerina figurine spinning to the music box music and the pink lion next to it.

"What have I done?"

* * *

**Looks like Jasper isn't the only one who needs a turnaround. Where did Steven go? Will Pearl be able to move on? Who was sending the signal to Jasper? Stay tuned for part 3 of Project: Turnaround.  
**

**After watching episodes like "Rose's Scabbard, Joy Ride, Sworn to the Sword, and Chille Tid" I figured Pearl and Steven's relationship would come to a head at some point. There's only so much a kid can take. He's like a sponge that sucks up all the negativity, but even sponges get full, if that makes any sense. **

**I based the Lars/Jasper interaction off of a comic I saw on tumblr.**

**Thanks so much for all the great comments and support! I don't know if I'm as good as Empress Sucrose though, but I'm glad you like it.**

**Bonus points to anyone who can tell me what game an asternon comes from!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for broken computer screens, uncontrollable crying, sudden heart stoppages or any medical ailments caused by intense feels. Enjoy! :) **

**Also, at the line break where Greg has Steven listen to something, try listening to Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There"**

* * *

"Bekeke waooah waoahh! Start now, make a change! Gonna turnaround!" belted the former one man rock band as he mimicked the sick guitar riff blasting through his retro headphones.

"Alright! All done!" he proudly declared as he admired his handiwork.

For once, he was thankful for lack of business. He had been meaning to clean his van up for a while now, and it's kinda hard to do that when you're washing cars left and right. He got things organized, gave it a fresh coat of wax so it'd shine all nice like, and to top it off he even got a mini fridge and a new mattress!

The most time consuming part of the organizational process was labeling all of his blank CDs. It was a bit of an up and down trip down memory lane while he listened to his old tunes. A smile crept on his face as he remembered how he and Rose would just chill together on the beach on starry summer nights with his soft rock creating a harmonious ambience.

Then those thoughts immediately shifted to his beloved son. He hadn't seen him since the last time he took care of him while the gems were out on a mission. And that was two days ago. He was grateful for Dr. Maheswaran for letting him know that he had a clean bill of health. But he missed his little rascal.

Then he thought, "_I know! I'll get him some ice cream and we'll have a good ol' fashion summertime jam. Hopefully that'll take his mind off of all this gem stuff, even for just a moment."_

He still wished that Steven didn't have to go through any of this. He should be like any other thirteen year old boy - anticipating new comic book issue releases and asking awkward questions about body changes.

"Well…**you** did say he was going to be extraordinary…" he chuckled to himself. An overwhelming sense of pride filled his entire being as he thought of no matter what adversity his son faced, he always came out on top.

He started coiling the hose around the shoulder. _"Phew…still gotta work out though…good thing I found that bed on sale. My back **needs **the support…"_ he thought as he cracked his back to loosen it up. He continued picking up cleaning supplies, but his foot accidentally kicked a stray bucket and it started to roll away.

"Aw geez! Come back here!" he said to the runaway object. "Ha! Gotcha ya little bugger" he said as he grabbed it by the handle. When he looked up, he saw someone sprinting the down the street.

"What the…Steven? I guess it's true what they say about kids having a mental link with their parents" he said to himself as he put on a big smile to greet his hyperactive child.

When his son was within range he yelled, "HEY BUD-" but he didn't have a chance to finish before Steven tackled him with hug around his enlarged midsection.

"Whoa buddy, where's the fire?" he joked, but his comedic antics ceased when he noticed that Steven was shaking and gripping him as if his life depended on it.

"Steven? What's wrong? What happened?" But the only response he received was him shaking his head 'no' coupled with uncontrollable crying. He dropped the cleaning supplies to the ground and embraced his distressed son.

"Shhh…it's alright Steven…your dad's got you" he comforted. That just made him cry louder. He picked him up and Steven immediately dug his face into his father's scruffy beard, not wanting him to see his face in disarray.

Greg rocked him side to side and thought, _"What in the world happened to him?"_

He looked around to see if the city was under attack again, but instead he spotted his son's pink lion a couple blocks away from the car wash.

He looked directly into the king's eyes, as if they were mentally communicating with each other. Greg nodded and Lion understood that his charge was in good hands. The furry confidant took off through one of his warp tunnels; leaving the thoroughly puzzled father behind to only speculate where he was going.

Greg sighed as he continued to cradle his son. "I'm gonna really need some support right now…Rose, please help me through this…" he internally prayed as he stepped into the back of his van and closed the doors.

He sat down on his bed, with Steven still clinging to him and making his beard as wet as a mop.

But that didn't matter; nothing a good shower wouldn't fix. Right now, he needed to shower Steven with love and protection, and the only sure fire way he knew to do that was through singing. He closed his eyes, leaned back against a large pillow and softly sung a song that he would sing to Steven whenever he was upset:

_Cloudy days will bring rain_

_And winds will blow the sand _

_So long are you're here with me_

_I'll protect you in my hands_

_You are my son through and through_

_My life would be incomplete without you_

_Because in the end_

_My only joy is seeing you smile again_

He continued humming the rest of the melody, and soon Steven's cries reduced themselves to sporadic hiccups every now and then.

Eventually the mental and physical toll of his sobbing caused the traumatized youth to pass out in his father's arms. Greg noticed this and carefully placed him on his bed and covered him with a purple blanket.

That's when he finally saw the manifestation of his son's mental anguish all over his face. He grabbed some napkins out of the glove compartment to wipe away the stream of mucus from his nose. His eyes were red and puffy, as if he walked through a field of freshly bloomed daisies. At the very least, his breathing was even again.

Greg clenched his fists and furrowed his brows in rage. _"Whoever did this to him is gonna have hell to pay!"_ he thought.

But vengeance would have to wait, since he had no idea who the perpetrator was. Although he assumed that it had to be something gem related since Lion was following him.

_"I wonder if he knows what happened…"_ he thought as he grabbed his guitar. He strummed a gentle melody, not only to calm his raging emotions but also to banish the newly formed uncertainties that plagued Steven's mind.

* * *

**_Meanwhile at the Beach House…_**

The music that flowed out of the token of the flawless boy's kindness had long ceased its tortuous spell, leaving only the deafening silence.

Pearl's mind was ravaged by an internal psychological battle. On the one hand she wouldn't take back anything she said. She missed Rose dearly and if there were any possible way to bring her back she would conqueror all of home world to do it.

But on the other hand, she was appalled by her cruelty towards the innocent youngling. He didn't ask for any of this. In some respects he was like Amethyst…a by-product of a **big** mistake on Rose's part.

That's when Pearl's mind shifted towards anger, and it was leaning more to the mal-intent side of the emotion. "What in the world was she thinking having a baby with that man?! How could she do this to me!? Did I not do enough? Was I not enough?" she harshly vented.

Frustrated tears spilled out of her eyes as she looked up at the portrait of her savior.

"_News flash. ROSE WASN'T PERFECT!"_

Amethyst's words replayed in her mind, but refused to believe it.

"It…just can't be…I looked up to her. I trusted her!" she whispered to herself.

She was brought out of her self-rationalizing thoughts when she heard scratching at the door. She huffed in annoyance. _"That blasted lion! This is all his fault!"_ she thought.

As if he could read her mind, Lion blasted the door down with his supersonic roar and let himself in.

Pearl quickly rose up out of her seat and screamed, "GET OUT! NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING IF YOU WEREN'T HERE!"

That when Lion's tail went straight down and started to flick rapidly from side to side. The hairs on his back stood on edge and the pattern continued into his tail until it became as bushy as a super duster. His ears slicked back and his pupils dilated.

Suddenly, Pearl backed away from the menacing creature and said, "S-stay back! Don't bite!"

But Lion wasn't having any of it. He slowly approached her - growling at the terrified gem. She hurt his best friend and berated him multiple times, so yeah. She had this coming.

He lunged at her and slashed her across her chest, shredding the yellow star on her tunic. She gripped her bloodless wound and winced in pain, but managed to dodge the next swipe of his claws. She summoned her spear and spun it around in order to get him to back down and surrender. Instead he unleashed another supersonic roar that sent her flying against the temple door. Her spear disappeared as she struggled to get up.

Talk about déjà vu.

Following Jasper's example, Lion grabbed her by her sash and threw her onto the living room floor.

"GAH! Nnngh…guh" she incoherently moaned as the energy left her exhausted body form. She managed to get up on all fours and looked condemningly upon Lion.

That's when he let out a commanding roar, varying in degrees of volume as if he was saying, _"YOU SHUT UP AND LISTEN!"_ He ended it with a puff of air through his nose and Pearl was once again stunned into silence.

Now that he had her attention, he went out through the broken barrier and retrieved a small chest, worn by the merciless hand of time. He set it before her and she stared at the medium sized, ornate, gold-gilded wooden chest.

She gingerly sat Indian style on the floor and picked up the chest. She brushed the sand particles off of it and noticed there was a rose etched on top of it. Pearl's eyes went wide in shock and asked the guardian of secrets sitting across from her, "I-is this f-from Rose?"

Lion looked at her through narrowed eyes, almost as if he didn't want to unearth this box. His mane started glowing and he placed his paw on top of the enchanted container. Suddenly the chest had pink light lines flowing through it, and dissolved the lock that trapped the contents from seeing the light of day.

He removed his paw and nodded at her, signaling her to open it. With shaky hands, she lifted the lid up and saw a rose-colored bubble that housed a scroll. She delicately touch the bubble and it immediately popped in her hands. With the parchment in hand, she moved the box aside and started to unfurl it.

But her hesitation got the better of her as she stopped half way. _"Why would Rose want me to have this? Did she…know this was going to happen?"_ she thought.

The fear of disappointing her former leader caused her to curl the scroll back up, but Lion let out a short roar that startled her. She looked into his still dilated pupils as he started to growl, as if he was saying, "_Read it"_.

* * *

She took a deep breath to steel her nerves and unrolled the parchment to read the posthumous message:

"_My Pearl. If you are reading this, then one of my greatest fears has come to fruition. Through your grief over my absence…you have inadvertently hurt, and possibly, scarred my son." _

Pearl dropped the paper on the floor and wailed, "I knew it! She's blaming me for what I did! How could I be so stupid?!"

Lion huffed, surprised that he actually agreed with something she said.

But this wasn't the time for self-gratification. He had a mission he needed to complete and being rabid towards her wouldn't help… even though he **really** wanted to. Instead he did when he wanted to assure Steven that he would be there to support him – he placed his paw on top of her head and purred. Pearl removed her hands off of her eyes and looked at the cotton candy king.

He looked at the paper, then back at her.

She got the message and took another deep inhale. He removed his paw from the top of her head so she could grasp the parchment again. She continue reading her leader's last testament:

"_Before you go and blame yourself further, I want to let you know that I do not blame you. Grief is a natural emotion to experience when you lose someone close to you. Believe me, I've cried many a night over the sacrifices our fellow gems and human comrades made during the war…a cause deemed to come from my defective mind according to home world's standards. Others are more adept to handling grief than others, and that's what makes us unique. However, there will be consequences to the choices we make. _

_Pearl…I know that you held me to such high regards, even to the point of idolization, because you firmly believed that I saved you from being another drone with a number attached to her. But the truth is, I did no such thing. All I did was offer you a choice, to be a servant or to be my friend and you chose the latter. **You **decided to unleash your true potential and I'm so proud at how far you've come. _

_But your downfall was when you felt as though you needed to be my **shadow** instead of my equal. I knew the only reason you protected Earth was for me, not necessarily to protect the lives on this planet. But since it was your choice…I had to respect it, even though I didn't agree with it. _

_Before Steven was born, I asked Garnet to show me what kind of person he would become and how the four of you would interact with each other. I was thrilled beyond belief when I saw the four of you growing together, learning from one another and having fun. But then I saw the possible battles he would have to face…one of them being in his own home. _

_The battle of trust. _

_Please Pearl, I need you to understand. In my absence, you, Garnet, and Amethyst are essentially his mothers. You have ascended from the role of being a confidant. That's why I created the pink lion, to be Steven's companion. And don't take care of him just because he's my son or "he's the vessel of Rose's gem, once he's gone Rose will come back." _

_Because let me be clear, **I am not coming back. **_

_I knew the consequences of having my son and I wouldn't have it any other way. Greg taught me what it truly means to love another person. Because before…my love for you guys was based out of guilt, having you three being displaced in a strange, beautiful land due to my actions. Steven is the ultimate symbol of our love. Not just between Greg and I, but the love I have for you, Garnet and Amethyst. I became half of him and every time he loves himself, that's me loving him and loving being him. Because **I knew** that was he was going to be something extraordinary and do things that I could never hope to achieve, such a rekindling a zeal of life in all of you. _

_However…I know he's not loving himself now due to lack of trust. Put yourself in his shoes. Having that strong feeling of subtle hatred toward you from your own family because he's being blamed for my absence, then to have those fears manifest when they are spoken directly to your face? That hurts more than any attack to make you retreat into your gem. _

_Now I present this choice to you. If you feel you can't overcome your grief, then **leave** the crystal gems. I will **not** have my son be in a toxic environment full of silent condemnation. And that goes for the rest of the team as well. You are under no obligation to stay for you all have free will. _

_Or you can choose to fix this mess and rebuild the relationship between yourself and Steven on a stronger foundation and watch the fruits of your labor bloom into something beyond your wildest dreams. I know you will make the right choice. After all…you're my Pearl."_

* * *

Pearl absorbed everything that her leader left for her. "G-Garnet knew about this?! But then again, it was a possibility which meant that it probably wouldn't happen. She believed that it **wouldn't** happen, she believed in me and so did Rose…that's why she had this letter under such tight security. And what do I do? I let them down, because I wasn't strong enough!"

More tears flowed from her shut eyelids. She clenched fists, trying to squeeze out the overwhelming sense of shame growing throughout her body like a terminal illness. A gentle roar wrought her out of her guilty conscious and she beheld Lion placing the pink stuffed lion right in front of her.

That jogged her memory of when she doubted herself when she faced off against Sugilite.

"Steven…" she whispered as she held her hand to her mouth as she recalled what he said during that moment, "_Yes you can! C'mon, you always know what to do! You gotta show her what you showed me. That you're **strong**, Pearl! Strong in the REAL WAY!"_

She ran her hands through her hair and shouted, "How could I have said such horrible things?! Steven always comforts me and places my needs above his own! He was so thoughtful to try and build a spaceship for me to get me home. He even laid down his **life **to protect all of us and this is how I repay him?!"

She collapsed to the floor and started pounding on the wooden floorboards. "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid! Rose, I'm so sorry for what I've done to your…no…OUR child! I'm sorry that it took me so long to recover from your departure. Y-you were my crutch…and now I have to walk on my own two feet. All these changes…these feelings…were just overwhelming. That's why I wanted things to go back to the way they were! But that's no excuse! I made Steven feel like he was nothing, the very fear I once shared. Please…just give me a chance to make things right. I-I couldn't live with myself if he…" she couldn't even finish her self-deprecating rant before more sobs wracked through her body.

Lion just stared at the broken gem. He knew that she had at least taken the first step, but by no means was this a quick and easy fix. It would take time to repair what she destroyed, especially since she severed the bond with the two embodiments of her former leader. Now that he heard her intentions, it was time to complete the second half of the mission. He knelt down and licked her hair, quite a big risk considering her perfectionist, non-grimy nature.

She looked up at him with puffy eyes and immediately grabbed his mane. "Please! You have to bring Steven back! I'm sorry for everything I did to you! I didn't even bother to think that Rose had good intentions in having you here. I was too self-absorbed in my feelings of not being the keeper of all of her secrets…her favorite. Please…I don't care if he rejects me…I just need him to know how sorry I am!" she begged the newly appointed confidant.

Lion nuzzled against the pearl on top of her head and purred. She released him out of her grip and he took off through the abode's broken opening. Pearl just stood there and watched him run across the sand, to wherever her baby was.

She looked down and grabbed the tattered parts of her tunic. "…I won't fix this unless Steven forgives me…" she vowed. She clasped her hands together and hoped against all odds that he would.

* * *

Unbeknownst to her, on the other side of the temple door a small smile revealed itself on the current leader's face.

"H-hey Garnet? I don't hear anymore yelling or roaring…are you sure we shouldn't go check on her? I mean, I know she was total jerk back there but…I dunno. I just don't like this" questioned the awkwardly compassionate purple gem.

"Trust me…she'll be fine. Its Steven that I'm worried about…" and just like that her smiled disappeared.

Lapis hummed in agreement. Even with the explanation and Pearl's backstory, she still couldn't believe that she said that to him. Especially since he **nearly** died saving all of them.

Picking up on Lapis' concealed anger, Garnet said, "There's no point in kicking someone who's already down."

"Have you two ever attacked him for Rose's absence?" she countered with a slight glare in her eyes.

Amethyst kicked some dirt around on the temple floor and Garnet readjusted her shades.

"…Not necessarily him, but I did do something pretty bad to Greg. I-I shape-shifted into Rose and messed with his head, thinking he'd only hang out with me if I was her. Steven caught me and I was just…so ashamed and disgusted with myself. That's why I ran away from him. He didn't deserve to see that and neither did Greg…especially since we were such good friends. We probably won't be as close as we used to be ever again…" Amethyst lamented as she wiped some stray tears from her eyes.

"…Mine was a bit more…concealed. When he was born, I wanted him gone. No so much because I missed Rose, I already knew what was going to happen. It was more so that I had to be the leader, a new role that I was uncomfortable with. The thing that changed me was when Steven was younger, he cried because he wasn't feeling well. Somehow, I was the only one who could calm him down. When his tiny fingers grasped mine…I don't know how to explain it but it made realize that if I could handle taking care of such a precious, fragile being then I could handle anything. I think that's when Ruby and Sapphire became more in sync with each other and I'm the leader I am today." Garnet finished.

"…So you blamed Steven because of your insecurities with fear, abandonment and lack of self-worth?" Lapis surmised.

Garnet chuckled bitterly and answered, "…Yes. And the sad part about all that is he was the one who eventually took all those things away. He helped me conqueror my fear of being an inadequate leader, loved Amethyst for who she is and not **what** she was, and made Pearl feel important when she felt like she was nothing."

She reached underneath her shades and wiped away a tear before it could run down her cheek.

"Now I realize that we took Steven's forgiveness for granted. He's still a child, and is still finding his own way. He already voiced his insecurities when he laid in his bed, and it was fueled by us pushing our own insecurities onto him. If he decides to leave and never forgive us…I don't what I'll do…" she finished through a cracked voice.

Amethyst tried to lighten the mood and said, "H-hey, don't worry about it. This is Steven were talking about! We'll get past this and have another donut party!"

The other two hummed in agreement, but not really believing it. They just wanted him to come home, but it seemed it would be a long time before he would return.

If he ever did.

* * *

**_Back at Greg's van…_**

"Mmmm…hrrrngh…" groaned the still shaken up hybrid as he awoke from his restless slumber. His eyes adjusted to the dim lighting inside his father's van.

"Owwww…" he moaned as he held his head. The migraine caused by the seemingly never-ending spring of tears was nearly excruciating, so much so he couldn't even sit up.

"Hey bud…just take it easy okay? Looks like you've been through a lot" his father warned.

Steven looked over to the other side of the mobile abode and saw his dad with a comforting smile gracing his features. He tried to return the gesture, but his mind shifted back to the spiteful tirade Pearl expressed. He tried to quell the flood of tears from leaking through his ocular sockets; because if they did the pounding in his head would feel as though Jasper was beating a drum inside of his cranium.

"Steven…it's okay. Just let it go. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere" Greg assured as he moved onto the mattress to cradle his son.

And Steven did just that. More saline infused droplets soaked his father's tank top as all the hurt flowed out of him. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as when first held his father. After about half hour, Steven's cries reduced themselves back to hiccups and sniffles.

"Do want something to drink bud?" Greg asked and Steven nodded his head against his chest. He released him from the embrace and cleaned his face again before proceeding to grab an ice cold bottle of apple juice from his mini fridge.

"Thank you…" Steven said in a weak voice. He tore off the plastic cap and guzzled the refreshingly sweet nectar down his raw throat.

"Feel a little better?" Greg asked and Steven nodded while he fiddled with the empty bottle.

"…Now I know how Little Robbie felt." Steven quietly said to himself but his dad heard him.

"What do you mean?" he asked but Steven didn't meet his gaze.

Greg gripped his son's hand and through a cracked voice said, "Steven…please. I hate seeing you like this. The only other time you cried this much was when you were really little and had the stomach flu. I felt so helpless because I couldn't take away your pain away…it had to run its course. But I can stop the flow this time around! Please…let me help. But the only way I can do that is if you tell me what happened, all the way from the beginning."

Steven looked at his dad and saw how desperate he was to assist in ending this misery. He took a deep breath and began his tale. He started with the shopping trip and how it didn't go as well as he had hoped, but in the end he made a new shirt with everyone's colors and gave Lapis a coronation donut party.

Greg wiped a few tears from his eyes, touched by his son's love for him and his late mother.

Then he explained how he felt that everyone deserved to be loved, so he let Jasper out of her prison.

"Wait…WHAT?! You let her out?!" he screamed. His thoughts immediately jumped to natural conclusions, thinking that that lunatic of a gem was the cause of his son's pain.

"Wait, please…let me finish" he pleaded and Greg promised to hear the rest of the story without interrupting and reserved his judgement.

So he continued with the battle that ensued with copy Rose and subsequent beginnings of her turnaround. Then he explained the events of earlier today: the training session, the confrontation with Lars, how Jasper won him so many prizes, and finally the detestable things that Pearl said about him.

It took a few minutes for Greg process all the information that was given to him. His opinion about Jasper changed dramatically after hearing her back story…but there would a **serious** conversation with her in the future.

_"…Heh, Steven could probably make friends with a barrel of poisonous vipers if he wanted to" _he thought. But that cheerful notion disappeared when he thought about how vicious Pearl's words were.

"…That's why you said you knew how Little Robbie felt…because his seven brothers hated him because he was so different from them" Greg realized.

Steven nodded as more tears trickled down his cheeks. "D-dad…**sniff** it hurt so much when she said that! I mean, all I've ever did was love her and this is what I get?! A-and I think Garnet and Amethyst feel the same way a-about me too…I-I just know if I can trust them, or even be around them anymore! I DON'T WANT TO BE A VICTIM OF HATE!" he wailed and the tears faucets were turned to the max.

"I-I know that I'm not a g-gem! I'm not even human! I d-don't belong anywhere!" he continued as he held his hands to his eyes to try and suppress the river flow.

"So what?"

Steven lifted his head up and asked, "W-what?"

"So what if you don't if you don't belong to one side or another? If anything, people should be jealous of your duality. Steven, you're able to experience the best of both worlds. **You** are the living bridge between gems and humans. Think about it. Thanks to you, people in Beach City see that Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis and even Jasper are no different from them. They're able to see that they cry, laugh, fight, and learn…just like humans do. And besides, the only place where you need to belong is where love is." Greg finished.

"…I'm not feeling any love right now…except from you" Steven said as he wiped his nose with a tissue.

"…Steven. I'm gonna throw something out here and feel free to disagree" said Greg. Steven hesitantly nodded, wondering where his dad was going in this conversation.

"Okay. On Earth, gems are rocks, right?" Steven nodded.

"So that means Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis and Jasper are rocks, since they're gems, correct?" Steven nodded again.

"And rocks are hard right?" Steven agreed with this notion.

"Then that's my point" he concluded.

"Huh?" Steven asked, thoroughly confused by his father's cognitive deduction.

"Steven, the gems have lived for many millennia, never changing. Sure they may learn new skills, but for the most part they stay in their comfort zone."

"_Or what they've been assigned to do…"_ thought Steven.

Greg continued, "In fact, the rebellion may have been the biggest shake up in gem history. Even then Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and your mother stayed within their comfort zone, which was being with each other. When your mother and I decided to bring you into the world that was another big change for them. Not only was their leader gone, but now they had to **experience** the planet that they've lived on for thousands of years."

"That's what I meant about rocks being hard. Rocks are the most resistant to change, and it takes **a lot** of time to erode them into sand or dirt. Same thing with the gems. Thirteen years to a human is a long time, but to a gem…it might as well be a week. It must still be pretty jarring for them to be taken out of their comfort zone after so many years."

Steven absorbed his dad's reasoning. It made sense. If having a hybrid child was hard to deal with, then having two former enemies living under the same roof and having this hanging cloud of a possible invasion over your head would probably send them over the edge.

"Steven, let me tell you something…when I first met your mother, the first thing I really took notice of was how soft her hands were. It always made me wonder how someone so delicate could be so powerful. That's when I remember something my aunt told me, _'Hard hands need love, soft hands give love.'_ It means that some who is hard on the outside needs a tender touch to help them be more receptive to love. I was a hard core rocker who needed that tender touch, and in turn I taught your mother what it meant to truly love and respect others. Steven, you are the most loving person I know and right now…I think the gems need you to embrace their hard shells with your soft hands" Greg said.

Steven wiped a stray tear from his eye and said, "…Dad, I don't know if I can. I mean, I think that they only see me as a vessel for my mom, probably thinking that once I'm gone she'll come back."

Greg sighed and said, "That's a legitimate assumption, but that's all it is unless they confirm it. And the only way to do that is if you confront them. Believe me Steven, **communication is** **vital** in any relationship, whether it's discussing something good or bad. Don't let what ifs hold you back."

Steven still gazed at the floor, unsure of whether or not to heed his dad's advice.

"Steven." Greg said with a commanding tone.

His son looked at him and he said, "Ultimately this is your call. What are the pros and cons of whether or not you choose to go back to them?"

Steven thought for a moment.

There was a good chance that they would apologize to him and that they could work through it. In the end, they have their issues too, just like Lars. Or there was the off chance that they would never love him as he was and that friction could potentially split the team apart. He couldn't stand that and would rather avoid it entirely.

Greg watched the gears turn in his son's head as he internally weighed his options.

"Here…this song helped me out when I was confused about…a lot of stuff. Maybe it'll help you too." Greg pulled the CD out of his CD storage book and put it in the player.

* * *

At first, Steven was surprised that his dad like these kind of soft pop ballads - didn't fit the rest of his rock n' roll collection. But as he continued listening to it, the message became overwhelmingly clear – especially the poem at the end of the song.

"Dad…I'm going back, and I'm putting it all on the line" he resolutely said.

"Do you want me to go with you?" he asked

"No, I'd better do this by myself. But thank you" Steven said with a small smile. "And thanks for…all of this."

"No problem, bud. That's what I'm here for" he replied with his own soft smile.

"I love you dad" Steven said as he embraced him.

"I love you too son" he tenderly replied.

A little bit after they made contact, he noticed a faint glow underneath his son's shirt.

_"…Looks like we were able to fuse after all. Steven is our **fused **form, and I wouldn't have it any other way"_ Greg thought as he griped his son tighter.

As soon they released themselves from the bear hug, there were scratching sounds on the van doors. Greg opened them and Steven smiled when he saw his familiar fluffy buddy.

"You always know when I need you" Steven said as he hugged him.

"Gah ah gack!" Greg incoherently said when he exited the van. He nearly fainted when he saw the damage Lion did to his paint job. He was about to chastise the wild animal, but bit his tongue when observed the touching scene before him. _"…Well, it's nothing a little buffing won't fix"_ he thought as he ran his hand over the claw marks.

"Lion, can you take me back please?" Steven asked.

The king knelt before his charge so he could climb on top of him. Once he was situated he said "Alright, let's go."

"Wait!" Greg said before they could sprint down the shoreline. "Lion…did you…?"

The pink protector nodded gave a small growl.

Greg smiled and petted the gigantic pet. "Good boy. Take care of him, okay?" he asked as he took his hand off of his back.

Lion huffed in acknowledgement and the duo took off to hopefully fix their broken home.

_"Well, I guess there's no point in kicking a person when they've been beaten up by a five hundred pound carnivore…I'll have a few words with her **later**."_ Greg thought as he went into the car wash to find his buffer pads.

* * *

**_Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Beach City_**

The serene colors of early twilight bathed the forest in an ethereal glow. It would've been a calming sight to enjoy…but unfortunately Jasper's irritated mindset wouldn't let her experience the full beauty of it. She had to complete her search and rescue mission - which she begrudgingly convinced herself to do.

"DARN IT, WHERE IS SHE?!" she roared while trudging through the uneven, flora ridden terrain. She had been searching for the past four hours and still came up short.

_"Okay, I need to take my own advice and calm my mind down. So the signal came from this area. If I couldn't find her yet that means one of three things: she's in her gem, she's running from something or I suck at tracking…yea, gonna go with the first two"_ she thought.

Then she heard something snap in the distance. Reverting back to her fighting instincts, she summoned her battering helmet and cautiously ran over to the source of the sound. Once she approached the area, she carefully hid behind a large, weathered tree to scope the scene. Seeing nothing out the ordinary, she walked out from her hiding place and continued her visual examination.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

When she heard that scream the hairs on her head spiked up and she immediately put her fists up in a defensive position.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU FOLLICLE INFESTED CLODS!"

As soon as Jasper heard that squeaky voiced insult, she ran to the source of the outburst. A few meters ahead she finally found who she looking for, but the sight she witnessed made her wish she went after Steven instead.

_"…Are you kidding me?!"_ she irritably thought.

The renegade green gem, whom the crystal gems feared due to her reason for being here, was being chased and bitten by little black and gray striped Earth creatures. Jasper slapped her visor-covered face out of exasperation and growled in annoyance.

She stormed up to where the attack was taking place and roared, "HEY! BACK OFF!"

Immediately the assailants and the terrified victim looked at her. The territorial striped creatures bared their fangs to boast their superiority.

But Jasper did one better when she gave them her signature glare, bared her fangs and created her own little energy burst when she yelled, "NOW!"

The frightened striped bandits fled the scene of the crime, and the green gem almost took off with them until she realized who rescued her. Jasper crouched down and offered a hand, which was hastily grabbed by five free-floating fingers.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked the still shaken up gem as she dusted her off.

"Y-yes. Thank you" Peridot responded, taken aback by the brutish gem's concern.

"Good. Now tell me…WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?! YOU'RE A GEM FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" she yelled as she dismissed her helmet.

Peridot flinched from the tone of her voice, but answered, "Well excuse me that my shock waves don't work on organic life! You have no idea what I've been through! Being chased by those gem clods night after night, being attacked by those…things and when I try to fly away I keep getting attacked by these black and white flying monstrosities! I'm a technician, not a muscled-up bodyguard!"

She immediately got quiet after she let that insult slip through her lips, expecting to be running for her life again.

But Jasper surprised her when she replied, "Guess I'd better teach you self-defense then."

"Uh…yes…I guess that'd be beneficial for my survival, but anyway! Where were you?! I'd been calling for help for the past week!" she retorted.

Jasper crossed her arms, stared her down and replied, "I was imprisoned by the crystal gems and nearly executed." She almost **dared** Peridot to talk back to her.

"_Well, it's not a total lie…"_ she thought as Peridot's attitude shrank under her glare.

"Oh…H-how did you escape? Wait it doesn't matter! Now that we're safe we can finally complete our mission" she asserted.

"What?! Screw the mission! The only thing I want to do is – URRRGH!" Jasper grabbed her abdomen and felt little ripples course through her center.

"Jasper! What's wrong?" asked Peridot.

"I don't know!" she said as she hunched over from the increasing pressure in her stomach.

Immediately Peridot formed her holo-pad and scanned Jasper's body. "Hmmmm…it appears as though your body has finished a process known digestion. The pain you are experiencing is caused by-"

"BURRRRP!" Jasper unintentionally interrupted. Peridot took a step back and scrunched her nose up in disgust.

"Waste by-products and the release of carbon dioxide in your stomach. Did you…consume something today?" she asked.

"I…scared a human off…and he dropped this bag with…glazed rings. So I ate a few…" she lied while gripping her stomach tighter.

"_How barbaric"_ Peridot thought and then said, "Well, that explains a lot. It seems as though your body has absorbed the nutrients needed from said rings and is now trying to expel the waste by-products."

"And how do I do that?!" she snapped, her patience growing thin with each little gas bubble that exploded within her abdominal cavity.

"There are two ways. The first one you already performed when you released that repugnant sound; that expelled the carbon dioxide. The second way is to…oh my…" she stopped. Her eyes widened and she was completely petrified about what needed to done.

"What?! Do what?!" Jasper yelled.

"W-well, you'll have to shapeshift your body so that there is a hole at your posterior end and…push the waste out the opening… And you'll have to be…naked, at least from the waist down" Peridot stuttered as she showed the correct physical form on her pad to Jasper.

"I don't care if I have to bare it all! Let's just get this over with!" With that Jasper phased out of her jump suit and boots and created the necessary body form to complete the process.

Peridot caught a good look of Jasper in the buff and immediately covered her eyes. "JASPER! Please! Decency!" she yelled while trying to dismiss the deep green blush from engulfing her entire face.

"Oh give me a freakin' break! URRRGH" Jasper instinctively went back to the tree she was hiding behind, squatted and squeezed her illusionary abdominal muscles to push the substance out of her. "_This is what Steven was doing in the bathroom this morning?! It's like some form of natural torture!" _she thought as the waste exited her system.

The relief she felt afterward was like nothing she'd ever experienced before, but she'll be Pearl's fusion partner before she ever went through this again. She didn't even look at what came out of her and walked back to the still blushing gem.

Once Peridot saw her superior emerge from the thick foliage, she covered her eyes again and screamed, "JASPER!"

"What?!" she said and immediately a floating finger pointed at her body.

"Tch" and she reverted her body back to her original form and clothing style. "There, happy?"

Peridot slowly uncovered her eyes and said, "Yes, very!"

"Sheesh, it's not like you haven't seen a naked gem before" she commented.

"I know that! But it's still awkward and I'd rather put this WHOLE experience behind us!" she exclaimed.

"For once, I agree. We'll **never** talk about this ever again" and Peridot nodded in agreement.

"Now then, back to the mission"

"Didn't you hear what I said before my body started acting up?! I said screw the mission! All I wanna do is go home!" Jasper firmly stated.

"What?! Are you insane? Do you have any idea what Yellow Diamond will do to us if we comeback empty handed, both figuratively and literally speaking?!" Peridot asserted.

"Who said anything about Yel-Oh…" Then in dawned on Jasper, "_She thinks I'm talking about going back to home world. Like heck that's gonna happen. Steven is my home now…STEVEN!" _Then she remembered that needed to find her distressed cub.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Peridot said, "Look, I want to get off this miserable planet too, but we have to complete the mission! I **need** their approval! I won't be seen as some defective runt anymore!"

Jasper stared at her wide eyed when she made her confession.

Peridot realized what she disclosed and backtracked, "I-I mean, I just want to complete this job. Besides, without my robanoids we can't leave. At least we can send them the results and then they'll come get us"

"_Tch, Yea right. They didn't come for us then, and they're not coming for us now, even if we complete the mission. She'll probably punish us for our tardiness by probably leaving us here to erode away. Anyway, I had no idea she and I were so alike…I wonder…" _

"Jasper? Why are you quiet?" Peridot asked, preparing herself to get a head start in case this was the calm before the rage storm.

She just grinned and said, "I just came up with a plan that'll get us everything we want…in unexpected ways."

"Oh? Care to share?" Peridot asked, disbelief clearly evident in her voice.

"Just trust me. For now, wait here and **don't leave.** I don't feel like tracking you again for another four hours."

"What?! What if those things come back?!" she stressed.

"Use that shock wave of yours to create a loud bang, that'll scare'em off. If all else fails, use those legs of yours to kick'em" Jasper stated matter of fact.

Peridot grumbled but obeyed the command and heeded her advice. "I'll be back in an hour or so" she said and took off quickly for Beach City.

* * *

**_Back at the Beach House_**…

The duo reached their abode in no time at all thanks to Lion's warp ability. Steven got off his trusted companion and said, "You'd better sit this one out, Lion. I know you don't like yelling."

Lion yawned and got in a comfy position on the beach. Normally he'd sleep underneath the house deck, but like Steven said, he wasn't too keen on hearing high pitched voices…he'd had enough of that for one day.

Steven gave him one last pat on the head before climbing the small hilltop. He observed his favorite time day as the sun slowly extinguished itself beyond the aqua horizon. Hopefully he and the gems will be able to put this whole situation behind them and look forward to a brighter day…or else the void in their hearts will cast a dark shadow over their lives possibly for eternity.

When he approached the bottom of the stairs, he took a deep breath to steel his nerves and continued his ascent. As soon as he got to the pinnacle of the staircase, he could see the four gems through the unblocked windows and demolished doorway. And their internal misery was quite evident.

Amethyst sat the bar counter idly playing with her hodgepodge of a sandwich. Then she pushed it away and laid her head on the counter, with her hair once again creating a protective mental shield.

Pearl was curled up on the couch with her knees up to her chest. Her hair was completely straight, just barely touching her shoulders and she was shuddering with every breath she took.

Garnet had her back to him as she stared at the inactive fireplace, but he could tell by how rigid and stiff she appeared that she was trying to focus on something.

Lapis was sitting on his bedroom floor, playing with the fish globe he had gotten her. She sighed, set it down and laid down on the wooden panels.

The pervading sadness engulfed the entire house like a foul odor; it was repulsing to the naturally loving boy. _"Well…it's now or never…"_ he thought as he climbed the last step and entered his shattered home.

The squeak of the floorboards startled the gems out of their despondent reverie and they quickly looked at the unreadable boy. No one moved a muscle; they were paralyzed by the fear of possibly saying anything that could cause him to leave them forever.

Eventually the intensity of the situation got to Amethyst and she couldn't stand the moments of silence anymore so she stuttered, "H-Hey bud. Welcome home." She even threw in some jazz hands for good measure, but immediately retracted them when she saw the cold, emotionless stare that Steven gave her. The gems could feel the hurt and hostility emanating from the hybrid and it sent shivers down their spines.

Pearl finally found the strength to shakily get off the couch and own up to her egregious mistake. "Steven" she quietly said and he looked at her.

His eyes got wide when he saw the slashes across her chest. He was about to asked what happened and was she okay, but he remembered what he needed to do. Plus he safely assumed that Lion had something to do with it.

The rest of gems watched her as she cautiously approached the boy. Just as she was within arm's reach of touching him, a slight scowl formed on his lips and he immediately formed his bubble shield around him.

Pearl retracted her hand, almost as if she had burnt herself. That action hurt more than the strongest physical attack she ever felt. More tears welled up in her eyes as she choked out, "S-Steven, I-I'm so sorry! Please…I never meant to hurt you, I love you so much!"

"…Why should I believe you?" he asked and it stabbed Pearl right in her holographic heart.

He clenched his fists and through his tears yelled, "WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU, GARNET OR AMETHYST WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME?! HOW DO I KNOW THAT EVERY THING YOU TELL ME ISN'T A LIE?!"

He couldn't hold it in, all of his fears and anxieties came spilling out like a volcanic eruption.

"How do I know that you guys just don't see me as my mom's reincarnation?! That the only reason you're taking good care of me was because you think that my mom can see you through my eyes?! Let me repeat that, MY EYES! I'm not my mom! You even told me that yourself! I'm Steven Quartz Universe!"

"S-Steven, I-I know" Pearl stuttered out.

"Then what? Do you think she shouldn't have given birth to me?! That I'm just a **big mistake?! **Well, guess what?! She didn't make a mistake! She loved me before she even knew me! And if she could do that, why can't you?! If she were here, she'd be disappointed in all of you!" he finished.

That final line felt like a Capt. Falcon punch to their guts.

Lapis was thoroughly shocked that her friend and savoir had been carrying this heavy weight inside of him and yet could be so cheerful and loving. But she wasn't surprised that he could utter out such venomous words given the circumstances; she wouldn't blame him one bit.

She observed the crystal gems reaction to the rebuttal.

Garnet just stared at the floor and tightly closed her fists, looking like a shell of a leader she claimed she was.

Amethyst just held her hands to her ears and tightly closed her eyes; she didn't want to hear any more.

Pearl stared at Steven as if he were a million miles away. Then something snapped inside of her and she started pounding on the bubble.

That startled Steven and caused him to fall back on his bottom.

"STEVEN!" she screamed through her stream of tears.

"I don't care about disappointing your mother! The only one I'm concerned about disappointing is you! I never should've allowed my grief and my insecurities about all these changes taking place to be taken out on you! The truth is…I was scared. Scared of being a bad guardian of Earth, about impossibilities i.e. you fusing with Connie or you being friends with Jasper and Lapis…although the latter were spurned more by my irrational jealously. But I was mainly scared of being a bad mother figure to you. And what do I do? I basically tell my baby that I wish he wasn't here, which is so far from the truth! I swear! Steven…p-please. All I ask is for your forgiveness and to give me another chance! I don't care how long it takes, I will regain your trust in me! I couldn't go on knowing that I'm hated by the one I care for the most. And that's you…my Steven" Pearl finished as her tears rolled down the bubble shield.

Steven just stared at her and processed everything that she said. Then he noticed Garnet wipe away tears from underneath her shades and Amethyst do the same thing.

"They **really** do care…" he realized.

With that, more tears formed in his eyes and he dismissed his shield. Pearl nearly fell onto the floor since the bubble was holding her up, but Steven caught her in a bear hug and cried into her chest.

"I forgive you" he said just loud enough for her to hear.

Pearl squeezed him just as hard and said "I'm sorry" over and over.

The rest of gems couldn't stop the rivers, nor would they want to. They were witnesses to the power of love and they were truly grateful to have their little guy around and to be a part of this family.

Eventually, Steven removed his face from her chest and smiled at her. Pearl returned the sentiment and she tried to wipe her eyes dry. Then Steven recited the poem he heard in his dad's van, loud enough for everyone to hear:

"_In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair  
will you still care? Will you be there?  
In my trials and my tribulations  
Through our doubts and frustrations  
In my violence, in my turbulence  
Through my fear and my confessions  
In my anguish and my pain  
Through my joy and my sorrow  
In the promise of another tomorrow  
I'll never let you part for you're always in my heart"_

That caused everyone to join in on the hug fest, and all of their gems gleamed with the radiance of the sun, fueled by the love for their baby.

It may have been thirteen years in the making, but they finally had a solid foundation to begin building their trust with one another. A few cracks may appear from time to time, but they would work through it to patch it up and make it stronger than before. After a couple of minutes, the glowing stopped and they got out of the tender embrace.

"Man look at us! We're all a bunch of slimy saps!" commented Amethyst and everyone chuckled at that.

"Steven" said Garnet as she brought him for one more hug. "Thank you for the gifts"

"Oh, you like them?!" he said with stars in his eyes.

"Heck yea bud, they're awesome!" Amethyst said as she ruffled his hair.

Steven beamed then remembered, "Oh yea! I have to give dad his gift! Do you know where the headphones are?"

"You mean this?" asked Lapis as she grabbed the medium-sized black box with the R logo for rhythm brand headphones off the shelf.

"Yea! Thanks Lapis" he said as he grabbed the box from her.

He looked outside and saw that it still pretty bright outside. "Can I go give these to dad? I promise I'll be right back" he asked.

"Of course you can" answered Pearl.

He gave her another hug and said, "Y'know I just realized that I'm like a soup!"

"What?" they asked.

"Yea! Like a combination of all you guys! Garnet's calmness, Amethyst's fun, Pearl's precision and thoughtfulness, Lapis' selflessness, and mom and dad's loving nature. I think I even have a little bit of Jasper's toughness and Lion's protectiveness."

"Steven" Pearl said as she stood up and re-materialized her tunic. "You are **not** a combination of us, you are you. Anything you pick up from us or anyone else is another spice to add to your already perfect soup."

Steven smiled and nodded. Then he sprinted out the door to give his dad the headphones.

"…He sure is something" Garnet commented with a smile and everyone hummed in agreement.

* * *

Steven ran past Lion and said, "We're all good buddy! You go can inside if you want!" Lion merely yawned and continued snoozing, but a small smile did show up on his muzzle.

He got to the car wash in record time. The euphoria and adrenaline of what just occurred kept his energy flowing. He pounded on his dad's van and Greg immediately opened it. He could tell just by looking at him that everything worked out.

"I'd knew you'd make the right call" he said as he rubbed his head.

Steven giggled at that and said, "Here, these are for you!"

"Whoa! Where did you get these?" he asked as Steven gave him the Rhythm headphones.

"At Fun land Arcade! Even though I didn't have enough tickets, Mr. Smiley said I could pick one from the higher amount shelves, so I got those for you!"

Moisture started to appear in Greg's eyes. He embraced his son and said, "Thank you. I love it! Now, you better get home before it gets dark. Do you need me to take you?"

"Naw, I'll be fine! I'm all supercharged!"

He chuckled at that and said, "Yes you are" as he let Steven go.

"Bye Dad! Love you!" Steven yelled as he ran back home.

About half way there, stars started to reveal themselves in the multicolored sky.

_"Wow, I wonder if we can camp outside tonight"_ he thought until a loud voice caused him to stop.

"STEVEN!"

He turned to the side and saw the muscular striped gem running towards him.

"Jasper!" he excitedly yelled as he hugged her leg.

She crouched down to his level and asked, "Are you okay?! I've been looking all over for you! Is Pearl still being a knucklehead?!"

"No, no! It's okay! We made up and we're all good" he explained.

Jasper showed a slight grin and said, "Somehow that doesn't surprise me"

"C'mon, let's go home. Maybe we can sleep outside under the stars" he said as he grabbed her hand.

"Yea…outside" she muttered.

"Hmm? Is something wrong" he asked since she didn't move.

"…No. In fact, everything is going perfectly" she said.

Then without warning, she punched Steven right in the abdomen, just above his gem. He gasped then immediately fell to his knees, then the rest of his body collapsed to the floor due to the force of the hit.

"…Like I said, never let your guard down" she whispered as she lifted the lifeless body onto her shoulder.

_"…Remember…all part of the plan…"_

* * *

**Steven and the rest of the crystal gems have taken the first step towards building their new foundation, but Jasper had to go and throw a wrench into everything. What's her plan? Is she going to use Steven as a hostage to return to home world? How does Peridot fit into all this? So many questions to be answered in part 4 of Project: Turnaround. **

**Wow…what a doozy. A bit above ten thousand words. I couldn't really find a right place to break it up into smaller chapters so I hope you guys are ok with the length. This is first time I've ever written something like this; dealing with the irrational thinking of grief. So let me know if there's anything I can do to improve on it. **

**I kinda figured Rose would have at least some idea of what could happen in her absence; she is a gem of many secrets.**

**I got the soup idea from KND 227's art piece called "She Lives in You." You guys should check it out. Thanks for the inspiration!**

**Darkness Rissing: Thanks for that theory idea! It worked really well in this chapter!**

**Dragshot: I don't know if you would count drinking a bottle of apple juice as drowning his sorrows, but it's close enough ;)**

**I'm truly grateful for all you wonderful people who read, favorite, follow, and review my story. I'm glad that it has become so enthralling and entertaining to so many. I wish I could see you guys in person so I could thank you personally. So later I'm gonna post a pic of myself for the avatar for one day; I dunno, I guess I'm old school and I just want to have an idea of what the person looks like who's writing these amazing stories on this site.**

**I don't own Steven Universe nor Michael Jackson's music catalogue; just my imaginative capabilities. **

**And to those who guessed that an asteron comes from "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" you are a true blue cool dude!**


	18. Chapter 18

"_Steven"_

"Uhhhhhh…mmmmm"

"_Steven, I hope you can hear this. Please don't let your faith in your friends waver. Love on them as I love you. I believe in you, my precious son."_

* * *

**GASP**

"GACK!" yelled the startled technician when the hybrid came back to life. Since she was crouching down while observing him, she fell onto her bottom when his lungs inhaled the necessary air molecules.

"Jasper, the Steven is awake!" she proclaimed.

"I can see that. I'm right here" she irritably said as she crossed her arms and watched the young gem cough heavily from the blow she inflicted on him.

Once the battered boy finally got enough oxygen flowing through his bloodstream, he focused on his surroundings…and it was all colored neon green? When he reached out to touch the acid green foliage, his advancements were blocked. That's when he realized that it wasn't the flora that was an unusual shade of green, it was the rectangular container he was trapped in! He tried to push against the barrier but stopped when a voice attempting to sound authoritative said, "Your attempts to escape are going to prove futile."

That's when Steven turned around in the relatively cramped area and faced his kidnappers. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the tech-savvy green gem and his tiger-striped mentor peering down at him through their narrowed eyes.

"W-what?" he stuttered.

"This cell isn't like the ones on our former ship. I used my digits to create a solid enclosure so you wouldn't escape" Peridot explained while holding up her cone-shaped arms devoid of said fingers.

Steven was just dumbfounded. He tried to recollect what could've possibly happened to land him in this terrible situation.

"…Jasper!" he realized.

That's when he recalled how she punched him right in the gut. He looked at her through heartbroken eyes, silently asking her that this wasn't true…that she didn't betray him too.

Jasper adverted her eyes from his accusatory gaze and said, "Yes Rose…I'm the one who captured you."

Once again Steven's pupils constricted, which was pretty hard to do since it was the dead of night. The only sounds that could be heard in the enigma landscape was the wind rustling the cattails, causing them to strike them against a fallen, rotted tree.

"W-why?" he whispered with moist eyes.

"Remember when I said that as long as I've earned your trust…that's all that mattered to me? Well…now I'm using it to **my** advantage. We're going home and you're going to help us" she finished.

That set off the dynamite that destroyed the floodgates blocking his tear ducts. He wasn't sure what was worse; the fact that he got captured by someone he trusted or the fact that she didn't even acknowledge his existence…but his late mother's. Water cascaded down his plump cheeks and even with all the mournful calls he uttered throughout the whole day, he somehow found the strength in his lungs to howl even louder through his tender throat.

Peridot just stared at him, her eyes softening just bit. She sympathized with the young hybrid, for she knew what happened to **anyone **who got on Yellow Diamond's bad side.

But she shook her head and immediately caught herself. _"No, he…she…**it** is going to help us earn favor with Yellow Diamond. She'll forgive us for our tardiness with the mission and give me a second chance to prove my worth"_ she thought, then looked over at her superior.

Her eyes widened and little sweat beads appeared on her forehead when she saw Jasper raise her fist into the air. She juked out of the way just as the gem with serious anger-issues slammed her fist on the acid-green prison cell and yelled, "ENOUGH!"

That startled Steven for a moment, but it proved futile as his uproarious cries continued.

"GrrrrAAAAH!" she growled as she stormed off but still stayed within a reasonable distance of the duo.

Peridot took her lead and backed away from the distressed prisoner as well, so she wouldn't be in range of another potential onslaught from her irritated supervisor. She observed her shuddering in the distance and took a big gulp. Jasper was down-right fearsome when her anger reached her boiling point.

But what Peridot didn't see was Jasper grinding her teeth together and her eyes tightly sealed. Every forlorn note that erupted out of Steven's vocal chords sounded like nails on chalk board to her. She thought that the end result of digestion was torture…this exceeded it a billion-fold. Knowing full-well that he had been crushed earlier in the day by someone he trusted and that he had to experience it again just to fulfill her plan…which was starting to look half-baked with each passing second.

_"…This has to work…it just has to!"_ she thought as she continued to block her own river of frustration tears.

Unbeknownst to the trio, the silent guardian was concealed within the forest foliage, which was quite an accomplishment considering his fur color usually made him stick out like a sore thumb. Thanks to their mental connection, Lion was able to sense that their link temporarily disappeared when Jasper struck him. Since he didn't want to give away his position with his warp roar, he stealthily followed the burly gem to the meeting location. He wanted to slash them into little slivers as soon as Steven was put in that prison, but he remembered how Jasper used that shock device to separate Garnet and he wasn't sure if that scrawny green gem had a similar device or ability. He made not be a gem, but having him unconscious wouldn't help his best friend out of this dangerous predicament. So he decided to bide his time like a true hunter – waiting for the perfect moment to strike or go get reinforcements.

* * *

After a couple of minutes, Steven ceased his sobbing due to his depleted energy. He pulled his knees into his chest and laid his head on top of them, letting his tears be absorbed by the fabric of his jeans.

"Well…now that it's more compliant, let's go over to the kindergarten so we check the status of the cluster. I was able to see it from the air, but then I got mauled by those flying things. Hopefully I'll be able to repair the power source so we can send an S.O.S signal back to home world." Peridot explained.

She walked over and crouched down so she could configure the prison to hover and follow behind them. "Still, I don't understand…why do we need the Steven in the first place? Were you planning on using it as a bargaining chip so those rebel gems would let us have use of their base? That would actually make sending an S.O.S a lot easier. Even if they have archaic technology, I could still make it work."

In the midst of her rambling she didn't notice Jasper walk up behind her. "…No. Like I said, **this** will get us everything we want…in unexpected ways…"

Suddenly Jasper grabbed her arm, causing the hovering configuration to cease and in turn letting the box plop back down onto the ground. The fall caused Steven to land on his back and the back of his head hit the floor.

"Owwww…" he moaned as he sat up and grabbed the back of his skull. But his eyes enlarged when he witnessed Peridot flailing about trying to escape from Jasper's iron grip.

"Jasper, what're you doing?! Let me go!" Peridot yelled.

But she didn't respond. Instead, she pressed the yellow diamond on her conical arm where the elbow joint would be. That caused yellow light lines to appear in the shape of one of those paper maze games where you have to find the exit. Steam erupted from the connecting joint, creating a mini haze around the two home world accomplices.

"JASPER! STOP!" she screamed and in her struggle she revealed the one thing she wanted to hide.

Once the wind blew away the smoke, Steven was aghast when he laid his eyes on Jasper holding the dismembered, conical part of Peridot's arm. Due to the detachment, the dungeon confining him vanished and he was surrounded by multiple, acid-green digits.

Peridot stared incredulously at her superior and yelled, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Jasper continued to hold on to the metal half of her arm as she walked over behind Steven. "…Acceptance" she finally answered.

"W-what?! This wasn't part of the plan!" she retorted.

"Yes, it was. This was the plan **all along**. When I said I wanted to go home…I wasn't talking about home world. I was referring to Steven. **He** is my home."

"What?! That's physically impossible!"

Jasper slapped her forehead in exasperation and growled out, "I meant metaphorically. I'm staying here, on Earth, with him."

"Are you insane?! He's one of the crystal gems! How could you be around someone who captured you?!" she shouted.

"Well, the truth is while I was imprisoned by the other gems, **he's** the one who released me from my bubble dungeon. He accepted me with all my baggage and deficiencies and I figured he could give you the one thing you **really** wanted" Jasper responded.

Peridot just shook her head and refuted, "I didn't ask for your help!"

"Yea you did when you sent out that signal" Jasper countered.

"I-I didn't ask to be…exposed like this! Do you actually believe that whatever that thing is can accept something like this?!" she shouted while pointing at her defect now out on display.

"P-peridot…" Steven whispered as he stared at the scarred illusionary tissue at the end of her upper arm.

The green gem looked at him and became increasingly uncomfortable with how he was staring at her amputated arm, mistaking his shock for disgust. That's when old memories resurfaced in her mind.

"_Hey, it's the runt Peri-borg!" "She's just a reject, she'll never amount to anything."_

Peridot subliminally reactivated five of her fingers and attached them back to her still intact arm. She used them to run through her hair while she closed her eyes, trying desperately to banish all those malicious opinions out of her mind.

"Peridot" said Jasper but she didn't look at her.

"Peridot!" she spoke with a hint of her given authority laced within each syllable. But that tone caused a trickle of tears to begin its path down Peridot's cheeks.

"Peridot! I order you to-"

But Jasper didn't even have a chance to finish her command before the distraught amputee sharply snapped her head up and screamed, "You shut up! How **dare** you have the audacity to try and order me around after what you did! You…you lied to me and ripped my arm off…all so you can help me?!"

During her rage rant, she pointed her lone operating arm at them and unexpectedly fired a green plasma blast at them. Reacting quickly, Steven used what little energy he had left to summon a large shield to deflect the shot. It ricocheted and hit the adjacent tree, obliterating the top half clean off. Soon the strain of maintaining the shield proved to be too much for the hybrid as it disappeared and he collapsed onto the grassy terrain. Jasper looked at the damage to the tree then back at her subordinate.

Even Peridot was astonished at the power she possessed. Before she could contemplate further on what just happened, four familiar voices in the distance shouted, "What was that?!" That startled the confused gem and she instinctively ran away from the traumatic scene, leaving only the mist remnants of her tears behind.

Jasper was stunned, all she could do was just watch her take off. She reflected on the damage her plan had done. Peridot felt betrayed and is going through the exact same thing Steven went through with Pearl. He's on the floor struggling to get up and now his guardians were on their way over here.

"GRAAAAH!" she roared as she ran her hands through her spiky locks. "What the heck have I done?!"

* * *

Not a moment after that realization traversed through her mind, a recognizable light blue spear slashed through the forest foliage and its owner came through the newly created path. Pearl's eyes widened when she beheld the titan of a gem standing over her weakened son.

"STEVEN!" she shrilled and Jasper immediately backed away as she ran over to him.

She picked him up and cradled him close to her chest. She saw how puffy his eyes were and how shallow his breathing was.

"My poor baby…" she whispered as tears started to prick at her eyes.

That's when she lifted his shirt up to examine why he was having such difficulty breathing, and the sight unnerved her. There was large, fist-sized bruise that was medley of dark colors right underneath his thoracic cavity. She ran her hand delicately over the damaged area and flashbacks of his recovery process played in her mind. Upon closer inspection, she saw that his gem was faintly glowing and the contusion was reducing in size. Slowly but surely.

_"Oh thank goodness…"_ she thought, but her relief shifted to fury when she shot her head up and glared at Jasper.

"Yo P, wait up!" yelled Amethyst as she, Lion, Lapis and Garnet appeared at the scene of the botched plan.

Everyone took Pearl's lead and scowled at the guilty looking striped gem when they saw her cradling their injured child and the smoke from the smoldering tree. Lion took a more vocal approach and started growling at her.

Garnet summoned her gauntlets and seethed, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart" as she slowly advanced towards Jasper.

Instinctively she summoned her battering helmet, but it was purely for defense. She saw how enraged the fusion was, even her shades were furrowed down! Sweat beads appeared on the side of her head and she slowly backed up. Jasper was a proud gem and would never admit to being scared, but her shuddering body spoke volumes of her frightened state.

"Urrrgh…ummmm" Steven managed to utter before opening his eyes. He saw Pearl's distressed face morph into a relieved one as her facial muscles relaxed.

"Oh Steven…" she breathed out as she stroked his hair.

"H-huh? Wha?" he questioned, but Pearl shushed him and gently assured, "Shhh…it's okay. You're safe."

That's when he saw Garnet walking towards them. But she wasn't coming over to check on him. Even with her sunglasses on, he knew that look anywhere; it was the death stare. He looked behind him and saw Jasper as scared as a mouse cornered by a hungry cat.

That's when everything clicked.

He quickly pushed out of Pearl's grasp and just as Garnet was about to charge at Jasper, he got in between them and summoned another massive shield to protect his tiger mom. The de-facto leader stopped dead in her tracks and immediately dismissed her gauntlets. Steven was at his limit and couldn't maintain the barrier any longer. It dematerialized and Garnet caught him before he collapsed onto the ground again.

"STEVEN!" the crystal quartet yelled as they went over to him.

Jasper dismissed her helmet and tried to approach her injured cub. But Pearl summoned her spear again and yelled, "Don't you touch him!"

Lapis and Amethyst followed suit and summoned their weapons as well, ready to beat the burly gem into the ground.

Before an all-out melee could start, Steven used all his strength and yelled, "WAAAIT!" although a coughing fit ensued right after his declaration. Everyone gave him his attention as the coughing subsided. He squirmed out of Garnet's grip and walked in front of Jasper.

"Don't…hurt…her…" he said in a raspy voice.

To say that the crystal gems were bewildered would be the understatement of the century. Pearl was the first one to question his delusional state of mind, "Are you crazy?! Why are you defending her?! She hurt you!"

Amethyst, Garnet and Lapis cringed when she uttered that statement.

_"If that ain't the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is"_ thought Amethyst and Steven was thinking along those exact same lines when he stared at Pearl incredulously.

That's when his pupils constricted and he furrowed his eyebrows in agitation.

"**Seriously?!"** he snapped and Pearl was taken aback by his outburst.

"Look! Everyone here, except Lion, has hurt me either physically or mentally, so you're all in the same boat!"

All the pure gems looked at each other, then at the ground in shame. Lion sat down towards the back and observed how his charge would handle this.

He grabbed his head after proclaiming that true statement; his headache was increasing in intensity, so needless to say his mood was sour…_**at best**_**.**

"I'm sick and tired of you guys questioning my decisions to defend someone or something that you believe isn't worth defending! Especially since you guys **taught **me the importance of protecting others! **I **chose to defend Amethyst's decision for wanting to join the wrestling league. **I **chose to defend Lapis when I released her from the mirror. **I **chose to defend Jasper after hearing about her messed up upbringing. And do you know why I did? I did it out of love! Because love is patient, kind and it never fails! These were all **my** calls and I knew I'd either deal with the consequences or reap the rewards of each decision. So that begs the question, do you want me to **stop** loving and forgiving you guys?!" he asked.

"NO!" they immediately and unanimously answered.

Steven sat on the ground and gave a small smile. "…Good. Because being a bitter, little, sad sack would suck…"

The gems couldn't agree more. Steven was the force that drove them to be better individuals and having that light snuffed out would've made their lives meaningless and miserable.

"Now that being said, I'm not going to let people get away with everything and just walk all over me…" With that, he staggered to his feet and sharply turned around to face the former home world gem; she flinched a little due to the sudden motion.

"…Why?" he asked. Even though it was just one word, it carried a multitude of implications.

Jasper didn't answer right away. She looked at the ground, trying to figure out the best way to explain herself…but it just felt like one big excuse.

"_You've been give this chance, don't mess it up."_

Garnet's words replayed in her mind and that caused tears to break through. She was afraid of the ramifications she would have to face. He may forgive her…but their fragile bond of trust could be severed permanently and that tension would always remain.

She…she couldn't stand it!

She rather be in a home world prison! She faced him and met his compassionate yet incriminating gaze. Through shuddering breaths she said, "I-I was just trying to be like you."

"What?" he said, clearly confused.

She wiped some of her tears away and explained, "After you ran away, I had a little…talk with Pearl and then chased after you. But the diamond on my outfit started to flash. It was an S.O.S signal from Peridot, so I decided to go check on her, leaving your lion to continue pursuing you. When I found her, she was being attacked by these black and grey creatures with striped tails and black masks (Steven nervously looked around when she said that). After scaring them away, she talked about completing the mission and I said that I just wanted to go home. She thought I meant home world, but I really meant staying with you."

His heart softened and his irritation diminished when she said that.

"That's when she said, _"I _**_need_**_ their approval! I won't be seen as some defective runt anymore!"_ It sounded so much like myself that I just felt…bad for her. So I came up with a plan to have you help her…like you did with me."

Steven and the rest of gems absorbed the explanation given to them. Then he asked, "But why did you punch me?"

Garnet, Amethyst and Lapis glared at Jasper when they heard that hidden nugget of information.

"I-I had to get Peridot to lower her guard. I knew she wouldn't listen if I had brought you."

"But…you did bring me" he pointed out.

"Grrrrr!" she exasperated as she ran her hands through her hair. "I just didn't think she'd listen unless you were my captive!"

Everyone just stared blankly at her.

"GAH! This made so much more sense in my head!" she yelled.

"I…I think I get it. You believed that in order to help Peridot you had to trick her because you thought that she wouldn't listen to anything an enemy had to say." Steven surmised.

"Yes! Exactly!" Jasper said.

But that didn't erase the ire burning within the gems. "Wow…that's the **dumbest** plan I've ever heard" said Amethyst.

"I agree! Abusing Steven just to carry your half-baked plan?! What sense does that make?!" asserted Pearl.

"Hey! I know I screwed up big time okay?! I was just trying to help!" Jasper snapped back pointing her finger at the pale gem.

"Sure…causing him harm would _really_ help out in that situation. And how do we know you weren't plotting something with her?" Pearl asked.

Her sarcasm only added fuel to Jasper's irritation as she said, "Seriously?! Like you're one to talk, miss I want Ro-"

"ROOAR!" Lion cut her off and she asked, "What now?!"

"Urrrg" that small whimper made everyone look at their hunched over protégé. Not a second later, the healing convulsions ran it course as the blood/waste substance expelled itself out of his mouth. Luckily for him, since it was a small wound there wasn't that much to throw up.

"Steven!" they yelled and Lapis used her hydrokinesis powers to clean up the toxic vomit from around and on him. Then she cradled him and created the purest water from her gem for him to drink.

Jasper was frozen stiff from shock. "Was…was that reverse digestion?" she managed to ask.

Garnet looked at her and explained, "No. This is what happens whenever Steven is hurt! He can't retreat into his gem like us! Instead his body goes through this painful recovery process where it basically resets itself and expels the injury. We **just** realized he could do this."

A heavy wave of guilt washed over Jasper when she realized that he went through this exact same process due to the injuries she inflicted on him when he traded places with Lapis. She ran one hand through her hair and thought, _"I'm such an idiot!"_

"Waiit…" Steven quietly rasped and the gems leaned in close to hear him. ""No more fighting…or stinkin' thinkin. Jasper, I'm glad that you wanted to help Peridot…but you went about it…the wrong way. You can't start a relationship…based on lies. It'll crumble in the end. And you can't force…help onto someone if they don't want it…you just have to be there…when they're ready."

Steven became quiet when he said that, then his eyes started to get moist.

"Steven? What's wrong?" asked Lapis.

"I'm sorry…" he said.

"For what?" she asked,

"I just realized that…I did that to you and Jasper. You didn't ask for-"

"You idiot!" Jasper said through her own cascading tears. "When you released me, all I thought about was getting revenge. But you…you just wanted to talk to me, wanted to get to know the **real** me. Through your actions, you showed me that I could trust you…I guess I didn't do that with Peridot…but either way, you didn't force anything on me! You encouraged me. You actually gave me an option. You gave me freedom. So don't even think that!"

Lapis didn't say anything, but merely hugged the boy tighter, echoing the same sentiment. Now that that doubt had been banished from his mind, he gave them a small smile and they all returned the gesture.

But Jasper's smile disappeared when she lamented, "…That's why I needed you. I'm not cut out for all this…helping stuff."

"Hey…yea you are. Everyone is capable of compassion, we just show it different ways. Garnet rubs my head and lets me ride on top of hers. Amethyst like to play and roughhouse with me. Dad plays his guitar and sings, and Pearl and Lapis like to hug me. You're a fighting protector with a soft, snuggling side" he explained.

Good thing it was dark otherwise she would never live it down if the others saw her blushing.

"And right now…Peridot needs it. From what you guys have been telling me, home world doesn't know about, or rejects, compassion" he assumed.

They all nodded their heads in agreement.

With his resolve now set in stone, Steven got out of Lapis' embrace and said, "I'm gonna try talking to her again. And I think I should go alone with Lion because I think she'd freak out if she saw everybody. At least she doesn't have a giant hand this time around."

The joke didn't sit so well with the original crystal gems.

Pearl was about to protest but Garnet put her hand on her shoulder and said, "Steven…good luck and **please** be careful. We'll wait for you here. But if anything happens, you'll send Lion to get us immediately, understand?"

Steven nodded and ran up to give her a hug around her legs. "I understand. I won't let you down."

She ruffled his curly hair and replied, "You never do."

With that he let her go and proceeded to pick up Peridot's fingers. "Jasper, can I have her arm please?"

She complied and gave him the robotic body part.

_"It's heavier than it looks"_ he thought, then called for his confidant. He held the part out to him so he could get her scent. He roared in affirmation and lowered himself so he could climb on.

"Hey Lion? You brought them over here didn't you?" he asked and Lion responded with a soft roar.

"Thanks for looking out for me" he said as he petted his luxurious mane. He purred and stood up, ready to take off.

Before they could Jasper said, "Steven…I'm sorry that you have to fix my mistake."

He flashed his signature smile and said, "Don't worry about it. We'll just chalk this one up to learning experience."

"Heh…yea. Go help her, my little tiger cub" she replied.

"Yea bud. Go work your magic" chimed Amethyst.

Steven gave them a thumbs up and commanded, "Alright Lion! Let's go!"

With that they took off through one of his warp portals to wherever Peridot was.

Once they were out of sight Jasper commented, "Y'know, if the rest of the diamonds were like him…home world wouldn't be such a bad place." Everyone hummed in agreement.

Then Garnet asked, "So…what exactly happened when you confronted Peridot?"

Jasper flinched when she asked that. "Well…y'see…"

When she finished her story, everyone just stared at her wide-eyed.

"SHE HAS A PLASMA CANNON?!" exclaimed Pearl. She was about to tear through the forest after them, but Garnet held her back. "Garnet! I know Steven said that he doesn't like it when we question his decision making when it comes to defending others, but C'MON! What if she blasts him like she did that tree? And he's barely recovered from that physical assault and-"

"Pearl, you need to relax." Garnet said cutting her off. "If we go against his wishes and follow him, he'll never trust us again. He's barely forgiven you. Do you **really** want to take a chance and possibly sever your bond with him permanently?"

Pearl knew she was right, but her motherly instincts wouldn't relent. "But…but…I'm scared. What if he gets hurt?"

"Pearl, we're all scared for him" said Lapis. "But from what I've seen so far…all our worrying has been for naught because he always comes out on top. He even comforts us in our frazzled state of mind."

"Like he said, it's his call. He'll reap the rewards or face the consequences of his actions. We just need to be ready for any possible outcome. And we need to stop underestimating him because at the end of the day…he's a crystal gem" Garnet said.

"And he'll always save the day" Amethyst softly sung.

Pearl's nerves settled down a bit, but her droopy hair signaled that she was still concerned. They all looked in the direction he traveled down.

"Please…come back…" Pearl silently prayed and unbeknownst to her, everyone shared the exact same thought.

* * *

**Well...at least Jasper knows to leave all mediations to the professional. Will Steven be able to turn Peridot around or will she blast him and Lion to kingdom come? Stay tuned for part 5 of "Project: Turnaround"  
**

**Well, Stevenbomb 3 ******certainly** was something. It's kinda weird that chapter 17 basically foretold the whole trust issue predicament.**

**On a more important note...THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!:) I mean seriously?! Over 250 follows and over 200 favorties?! Wow...I'm just so glad that you guys like this story from a first time fanfic writer. I promise I'll continue to do my best!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities. **


	19. Chapter 19

The eerie, unnaturally calm aura of the desolate landscape with the contradictive name unnerved the designated protector of the tiny king. Adrenaline flowed through his muscles, causing the hairs on his body to straighten like a million little needles. The duo slowly traversed across the ashen ground, observing the sheer cliffs dotted with human-shaped orifices.

It was hard to keep a positive attitude in this area. It was as if the entire vicinity was a massive parasite that absorbed the life out of any wandering soul. No wonder the rest of his family didn't want to tell him about this place.

Gripping his confidant's cotton candy mane, the perturbed child asked, "A-are you sure she went this way?"

Although he wished she didn't, Lion roared and his affirmation echoed throughout the forsaken territory.

_"Oh man…this place is extra creepy at night…it's even got Lion freaked out. But, we have to keep going! Peridot is out there…alone, scared and confused. She needs my help!"_ he thought.

With new found courage, Steven commanded "Alright bud, we can do this! Let's find her and help her out! And afterward we'll have a big sleepover with popcorn and Lion Lickers!"

Energized by his charge's confidence, Lion reared up on his hind legs and released a dominating roar before taking off at breakneck speeds - imprinting his massive paw prints along the way; leaving behind a visible sign that all life is precious and worth fighting for.

Lion slowed his paced down to a brisk walk as he held his muzzle up so he could sniff the air for her scent.

_"This would be a lot easier if there were footprints to follow…she probably flew over here"_ he thought.

They followed the invisible trail to the demolished bacteriophage-shaped injector near Amethyst's hole. The organ-like contents were still spilled all over the ground. Lion leaped over it so his paws wouldn't be tainted by the blood-colored substance.

_"…I wonder what's in those things."_ Steven thought, then suddenly Lion came to an abrupt stop. He noticed that his ears were moving in different directions, almost like echolocation.

"What is it Lion?" he whispered but the low rumblings answered his question. Lion turned his head to the origin of the tremors and awaited Steven's command.

"…Be careful bud" he said and they continued their trek.

As they traveled deeper into the canyon, they passed by giant human-shaped orifices.

_"Is this where all those corrupted gem monsters came from too?!"_ he thought until he saw green flashes of light obscured by an enormous dust cloud.

"There" he stated and Lion stealthily approached the ballistic-ridden area.

They hid behind a large boulder that thankfully wasn't blasted to smithereens.

**SHOOOOM**

…Really **thankful.**

Lion growled in diffidence as the stray plasma shot sped right past their hiding spot, but Steven petted his mane, assuring him that everything would be fine.

"YAAAAAAAAAH!"

They heard a broken voice scream out and it was followed by despairing wails. The melancholy notes that erupted from the demoralized gem added to the pervading depressed atmosphere of the kindergarten.

Steven hopped off of Lion's back and said, "Lion…it's just like last time. Wait for me and be ready for anything."

The furry confidant understood and nuzzled his muzzle against Steven's head.

* * *

The hybrid king emerged from his shadowed shelter and walked towards the enveloping cloud. He pulled his shirt over his mouth and nose so he wouldn't breathe in the irritating dust particles and warily felt his way through the fog.

"HMPH! Mnmmmn…" he muffled through his shirt as he accidentally scraped the side of his foot against a broken piece of rock.

_"This ain't gonna work…I need to see"_ he thought.

With that he took a deep breath and pulled his shirt down so it would block the glow as he summoned his shield. He waved it up and down like a fan to blow the smoke away. All it took were a couple of strong gusts before the dust cloud disappeared.

Steven dismissed his shield and witnessed the destruction that Peridot's chaotic frenzy caused. Injectors were demolished with their parts strewn across the barren land. The ones fortunate enough to survive the assault appeared as though they would topple at any moment. The steep cliff sides that bore uniform orifices now had dozens that were blasted out of proportion. But there was no sign of the distressed gem. Luckily for him, her robotic feet left a trail of deep indents in the ground.

When he took a single step on his injured foot, he grimaced in pain.

_"Hmmm…I wonder?"_

He licked his palm and rubbed the saliva against the abrasion. After a couple seconds the rough scratches disappeared and his foot was restored.

_"Alright!"_ he mentally cheered and continued following the footprints.

They led him to an orifice around Jasper's size. He peeked inside and saw the back of the huddled amputee shudder with every muffled cry she exhaled. Even her perfect triangular hairstyle was drooping at the corners.

"P-peridot?" he hesitantly whispered so as though not to startle the gem. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

Her head shot up and she quickly turned around to face whoever called her name. Once she saw who it was, her eyebrows furrowed in rage while a spiteful scowl crossed her features.

"You…" she said while grinding her teeth.

"Yep, it's me" he responded trying to add some semblance of jovial pleasantries.

But it went unnoticed as the green gem stood up and formed her plasma cannon, pointing it straight at him!

He gulped and instinctively held his hands up and started backing up. "W-wait! Hold on!" he pleaded but it fell on deaf ears as she kept coming towards him.

She yelled, "This is all your fault! If it wasn't for you I would've completed my mission, been back on home world and been spared this…this…embarrassment!"

Once she uttered those words, Steven abruptly stopped his reverse motion and glared at her; she was taken aback by his defiant stance.

His sour attitude came back (justifiably so) with a vengeance as he said, "My fault? MY FAULT!? Alright, let's play that game! What did I do to stop you from completing your mission?"

"You broke my things!" she retorted.

"Did you see me break your things?!"

"Yes! …Well, no. I mean you were around those crystal gems and they broke-"

"But did **I** break anything?!" he asked again, pointing to himself.

She lowered her blaster a bit and said, "N-no"

"Okay, was I the one who took your arm off?"

She gritted her teeth and said, "…No."

"So everything that happened to you wasn't my fault" he plainly stated like a lawyer resting his case.

"Grrrrrrr! I. DON'T. CARE! None of this should've happened to me! It's not fair!" she screamed.

"Who said life was fair?" he replied but she didn't want to hear it.

"Grrr…YAH!" She fired a plasma shot right at him, but he quickly summoned his shield and reflected the shot. Unfortunately, the blast ricocheted off and hit one of the unstable injectors…which they just so happened to be right under!

Peridot just stared wide-eyed at the metallic life-draining device that was about to fall on top of her. She couldn't move. It was as if this sudden paralysis was punishment for her earlier accusations against the blameless boy.

"PERIDOT!"

Before she could even comprehend what was going on anymore, Steven latched himself around her waist and summoned his bubble shield around them.

The impact against the barrier was short yet deafening.

Peridot slowly opened her eyes – she didn't even realize that she closed them. Breathing erratically, she observed the organ-like contents slide down the pink crystalline safeguard, then looked down at the boy who saved her life. Soon the hybrid roused from the exhaustion of using his powers so many times in one day and looked into Peridot's bewildered eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She didn't respond; she was too stunned by the sudden change in his demeanor. Once the last of the blood-colored substance slid off, he dismissed his shield. He stood up and offered a hand to help her up. She stared at it for a few seconds, then harshly batted it away. The recoil of the hit caused him to lose his balance and fall on the stained ground.

"GAAAH!" he yelled as he lifted his hand up and saw a piece of glass lodged in the middle of it.

Peridot was standing now. She sneered at the boy as a couple of tears manifested from their ducts as he gingerly removed the sharp chunk of glass.

"HA! Not so perfect now are you?! Your fellow crystal rebels will **never** accept a broken and scarred…whatever you are!" she berated.

Steven wiped his eyes and just stared at her quizzically, silently analyzing what she just said. Then everything clicked.

"…Are you done?" he asked and her cocky grin suddenly disappeared.

"All you've done is given me a scratch that'll heal just like that" he extenuated by snapping the fingers on his non-injured hand. He licked his healthy hand and placed the two palms together. After a couple of seconds, he separated his palms and the gash was gone. "With or without healing powers" he added.

Peridot tried to form any of kind of words from her gaping mouth, but Steven dispelled the quietness with his own words.

"Does this make you feel better? Seeing other things broken?" he asked gesturing to the ravaged landscape.

Peridot took a short glimpse of the damage she caused, then immediately closed her eyes.

"Why do you like things broken?" he asked.

"S-shut up!" she stuttered while running her digits through her drooping hair.

"Is it because…other gems made you feel that way? Like you were broken? Like you were garbage?" he prodded.

That was the nail in the coffin.

She snapped her eyes open and faced the probing boy. She wanted to yell and deny everything that he said…but she couldn't. Staring into his large, merciful eyes…not even her pride could do anything to save face. Because deep in the recesses of her mind, she knew that every word he uttered was true.

"Nnnng…WAAAAAAAAH!" Her knees collapsed to the ground; her metallic parts became stained with ash and injector contents. The weight of all those disapproving comments and self-loathing thoughts finally became too much to bear for the crippled gem.

Steven meticulously stepped over the destroyed injector fragments to get closer to her. After a moment of mental debating, he embraced her from behind. Peridot flinched and stiffened from the contact. Steven was about to let go of her before she decided to throw him off, but her next move surprised him.

She grabbed his forearms with both limbs and held onto him for dear life. He smiled and rested his face in her hair. She could feel his warmth radiate throughout her illusionary body.

"C'mon. It's dangerous to be here" he quietly said.

He helped her stand up and he grabbed her by her amputated arm; she was so numb to everything that she didn't even notice. Slowly but surely he led her away from the uncomfortable vicinity towards the hiding area.

Lion was lying on the floor when his ears perked up. He looked up and saw the dirty duo approach him. He moved out of the way so Steven could rest Peridot against the boulder; she placed her head on her knees.

"A-are you okay?" he asked again and this time she responded by shaking her head "no." Steven sat next to her and took a deep breath, resting against the rock as well.

"…Why?" she whispered through her hiccups.

"What?"

"Why am I like this?" she asked.

"…You mean having robotic arms and legs?"

"What else what would I mean?!" she snapped but immediately toned down her attitude. "S-sorry" she said.

"It's okay. Y'know, we're the same…in a way" he said.

She looked at him like he grew a second head.

"We're both hybrids. I'm half gem and half human, and you're half gem and half robot. You're a cyborg and I'm a…a…gemman!"

"A Gemman?" Peridot asked while raising one eyebrow.

"Yea…the name's a work in progress but the point is we're a combination of different things" he clarified.

"…And how does the rest of your team act towards you?" she asked.

Steven got quiet as he pondered his response. "Well…I know it's not all rainbows and sunshine sometimes."

"What's a rainbow?" she asked.

"I'll explain later, but anyway I know that Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis and even Jasper love me. It's just that…they don't know how to take care of me since I'm literally one of kind…the first of my kind. And it frustrates them sometimes. Dad told me that rocks…err…gems are the most resistant to change and it that it's still pretty jarring for them to be taken out of their comfort zone. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl have been with my mom for so long and now I'm here. Sometimes they just get in this…funk and they start giving off these resentful vibes. I try not to hold it against them. I know they have their own issues to work out, but sometimes it hurts and it makes me feel all alone…" He wiped a stray tear when he finished his answer. Lion subconsciously moved closer to him.

Peridot just stared at him in complete shock. "…Would you…change anything?" she asked.

He revealed a genuine smile and said, "Nope. If anything, I'm grateful to have a family that's willing to learn and grow alongside me. Sure we may trip up, but we can't stay down forever because that'll make us quitters. I wanna see this path to end no matter what happens. And I know that only good things will happen no matter how bad it looks, just like with Little Robbie!"

"Little Robbie?" she questioned and Steven told the story to her.

When he finished the story, Peridot asked, "C-can that apply to me too?"

"Sure, if you want it to" he said.

She let out a sigh and rested her back against the boulder. "…Can I ask how you got your robotic parts?" he asked.

She should've known this was coming. She took another deep breath and began, "I had no choice…it was either this or be destroyed."

"What?" he asked.

She bit her bottom lip, she was hoping that would be a sufficient answer, but I guess they were alike after all - everything needed to thoroughly detailed.

"…I was born without arms or legs. The kindergarten that I came out of ran out of the necessary nutrients needed for me to complete my incubation process. So I was…half-baked as they say. The intellectuals back on home world were going to destroy my gem and use it for other…purposes. But Yellow Diamond suggested experimenting on me with this cybernetic upgrade technology. It was…painful to say the least. Getting prodded by destabilizers then having your regenerating form try and conform to these foreign metal alloys was excruciating. But I survived."

"That's when Yellow Diamond told me, "_You were lucky to be born. Don't make me regret this decision." _So I poured all my energy into being the perfect, knowledgeable tech gem. I even developed the robanoids that your team keeps destroying" she bitterly added.

"But why did you squish your own robanoid when you first came here from the home world warp?" he asked.

"…Wait, you saw me?!" she asked and Steven nodded his head. "…It was broken. And busted things don't belong anywhere…" she lamented and Steven understood.

"I was the exception to Yellow Diamond's policy…so in a sense I'm indebted to her. That's why I wanted to complete this "easy" mission so badly. I…I wanted her to be proud of me."

"She never told you that, even with all the things you've accomplished?" he asked and Peridot shook her head no.

"…So you were willing to sacrifice an entire planet full of life just on the off chance that Yellow Diamond would basically give you a pat on the head, then turnaround and treat you like dirt the moment you screw something up?!"

His rising voice made her flinch with guilt. She never thought about it that way. All she ever thought about was herself, and could you blame her? No one else gave two cents about her and here was a chance to make a name for herself at someone else's expense. It wasn't hard then, so why was it now?

A fresh set of tears made their way down her cheeks.

"Man, this Yellow Diamond sounds like a real jerk! She has absolutely no love in her!" he declared.

"L-love? What is that?" she asked.

"Hmmm…Love is a lifestyle. It makes you whole because you enjoy seeing others happy and it fills you with this warm feeling inside. It gives you true strength because when it's returned to you, it just makes you feel like you can do anything! And it gives freedom because so long as you love yourself, you'll never be chained down by stinkin' thinkin!" he explained and she just stared blankly at him.

"…I'm guessing you've never experienced love before" he said.

"…Not until you gripped me earlier…" she whispered with a slight tinge of color on her cheeks.

"It's called a hug, and you can have more of them…if you want. But I think it'd be easier to hold someone with both hands" he said.

"Huh?"

Steven reached inside Lion's mane and pulled out Peridot's arm and fingers. "Lion followed your scent so I could give these back to you" he explained as he held out the robotic components to her. "D-do you need any help putting it back on?" he hesitantly asked, knowing that the last time she experienced help, it didn't end well.

"…Just hold it steady" she replied and Steven did as he was told. He moved in front of her so he could be in a better position.

When she inserted her amputated arm into the robotic part, her eyes glowed a golden yellow and those maze lines appeared again. Steven could feel a little jolt of energy, similar to that of the destabilizer. After a couple of seconds, her eyes stopped glowing and the lines disappeared. She was breathing heavily, but she managed to move her fingers again.

"…I hate doing that…" she muttered to herself as she laid against the boulder.

"Hey Peridot? I felt something…tingly. It was almost like-"

"A gem destabilizer" she finished for him. "A low current of that energy flows through me and it powers my cybernetic parts. And I'm guessing it powers my weapons as well. Would've been nice if they told me all this…" she mumbled.

"Well…at least you know now! Maybe you're like this character in one of video games called Rockman who's able to copy his opponents' weapons and use'em too! How awesome would that be?!" he said with stars in his eyes.

She was still trying to wrap her head around what video games were and who this Rockman guy was. But at least there was one thing she understood. "Y-you think my robotic parts are…awesome?" she asked.

"Yea!" he enthusiastically said and caused another tinge of color to bloom on her face.

"Peridot? How old are you?" he asked.

Peridot was taken aback by sudden change in conversation. "Why do you ask?" she said.

"It's just that…you ask a lot of questions, not that that's a bad thing! But the way you act…you're kinda like a kid" he clarified as best as he could.

She still didn't understand the reasoning and could tell he didn't know himself, so she said, "By Earth time…I'm 14 years old."

Steven gasped and galaxies appeared in his eyes.

"W-what?"

"You're only a year older than me!" he gleefully exclaimed. Then his excitement turned to heartbreak when he realized she went through all this at such a young age. He flung himself around her torso and said, "You poor baby! How could someone be so cruel, even to a child?!"

"H-hey! I'm not a child! I'm a fully functional tech gem thank you very much!" she rebuffed.

But she didn't pull him off of her nor deny the fact that what she went through was nothing less than tortuous.

Immediately Steven got up off the offended gem and apologized for his outburst.

She brushed off imaginary dust after he got off of her and they sat next to each other in awkward silence. "So…now what?"

"Huh?"

"Aren't you going to force me to join your crystal gem team like you did to Jasper?" she asked.

"No" he responded.

"W-what?" she asked trying to mask the disappointment in her voice by feigning shock.

"I didn't force Jasper to stay here with me. Y'know…we had a battle talk similar to this and she told me all the horrible things Yellow Diamond did and said to her. Then she told me she wanted to learn how to reconcile with others without pounding'em into the ground."

"She has a **long** way to go in that regard_…"_ Peridot muttered as she flexed the fingers on her reformed arm.

"Anyway, **she** made the choice to stay. I didn't force anything onto her. If I did that…that'd make me no better than Yellow Diamond" he said.

Peridot's eyed widened with his reasoning.

"So, I'm leaving the choice up to you. You can come back to my house and stay with us; I always wanted an older sister!" he beamed.

"Or you can continue to try and complete you mission. I know you said that you're indebted to Yellow Diamond, and in sense if it wasn't for her you wouldn't be here…so I guess I can respect that. _Even if it was sick and wrong_" he silently added. "But know this, we won't stop protecting our home. So if we do see you again, which we most likely will since Jasper can track you, we will fight you and I can't help if they decide to bubble you."

"…Is there a third option?" she nervously asked.

Steven thought about it and said, "I guess you could live on Earth by yourself, but you'd be under constant watch by my family. So in sense, you'd still be imprisoned."

She despondently sighed and covered her eyes with her fingers. At least she could appreciate his honesty.

"Hup!"

She unblocked her vision when she heard him grunt and saw him mounting his pink beast. "W-where are you going?!" she demanded.

"I know it's a lot to take in and I don't expect an answer right now…but I need to go back and rest." He released a long yawn to extenuate his point. "If you do decide to join, you can come to the temple by sunrise. There's a warp pad over there near the entrance. If not…then I wish you well" he said.

Then he commanded, "Lion, let's go!" and he created another warp stream to take him back to his family, leaving Peridot behind in the deserted domain.

His fading, echoing roar was the only sound to remain in the hollowed canyon besides her own ringing thoughts.

_"…What is Steven?"_ was the one thought that stood out.

She got up and aimlessly traversed the area, actually taking in the sights of the kindergarten. The unsettling nature of the area increased the electrical flow within her body. She almost lost her balance when she stepped into a somewhat deep indentation.

Suddenly the floor underneath her blazed with an intense neon green light, luckily for her eyesight the glare toned itself down a notch. That's when she realized that she was standing over the entrance to her main objective…her key to redemption.

She stared at the glowing panel, almost as if its faint fluorescent flare was hypnotizing her. "…I guess there's no turning back now"

* * *

**_Meanwhile..._**

"…Do you see anything?" Lapis asked the fusion leader, and she merely shook her head.

Time crawled at a painstakingly slow pace as the crystal gems awaited the safe return of their precious son.

Amethyst was hopping from tree to tree, trying to distract herself from the crushing uncertainty of the situation.

Pearl fared no better as she literally formed a trench in the forest floor due to her edgy pacing.

Jasper sat against the base of a tree, nursing a nice sized welt on her cheek courtesy of Garnet. Something about retribution or another. She didn't deny the fact that she didn't deserve it, but the tense atmosphere as well as the throbbing pain only agitated her further.

Garnet stood absolute as she gazed in the direction Steven traveled.

Lapis tried to be as strong, but eventually clung to Garnet's arm for support. She knows she shouldn't be worried, but she couldn't help it. The person who actually made her feel like life was worth living was somewhere lost in the shadows of the night.

"Steven…" she whispered.

Not a moment later, a familiar flash of pink light manifested itself out of thin air. The anxious atmosphere was immediately dispelled when the courageous duo exited the warp stream.

"STEVEN!" they yelled in relief.

"Hey guys…" he tiredly said.

Pearl's mind immediately went into "worst-case scenario" mode and she asked a multitude of questions. "Are you ok?! Does anything hurt?! Where's Peridot?! Did she-"

"Jeez Pearl! Give him some space!" shouted Amethyst as she landed amidst the group after jumping from the top of a tree.

"I'm fine guys…really. I'm just exhausted from…everything…"

They knew what he meant by everything; Jasper and Pearl looked at the ground in shame.

"And as for Peridot…"

He told them what happened, what she told him what happened to her and the offer he gave her. He saw their astonished looks, so he tried to alleviate the damage from the bombshell he dropped by saying with a sheepish smile, "Well…on the bright side I have my healing spit back"

No one dared to say anything to him about his decision. They didn't want to risk upsetting him.

But Lapis gathered enough courage and approached the fatigued boy. Caressing his cheek she said, "I'm just glad you're okay. And for what it's worth…I think you made the right call"

"I agree. Well done Steven" said Garnet as she ruffled his hair. He smiled at his two guardians, but it was soon replaced by another yawn.

"Lion, take Steven home. We'll be there shortly" Garnet commanded

"What? Why can't we just go along with him like last time?" asked Amethyst.

"He can't carry all of us, and I doubt he'd want us holding on to him by his tail" Garnet explained and Lion roared in agreement.

Just as quickly as they came, the duo set off towards the safety of their home.

"G-Garnet-"

"**Don't"** she said cutting off Pearl. "Questioning his decisions behind his back isn't any better than saying it to his face. You said you were going to do everything in your power to earn his trust, so start now."

Pearl nodded and silently cursed her bad tendencies.

"That goes for all of us. We need to have faith in Steven. Besides, in hindsight it's a win-win for us. Either she could help us out or we'd have an easier chance at capturing her."

Everyone agreed with that logic and they began their trek back to the temple. Along the way, Amethyst asked, "…Why do we doubt him so much…even after everything he's done? I mean seriously! Out of all the jams he's helped us out of with his out of the box thinking, he should be the boss!"

With that outburst, Garnet stopped dead in her tracks.

"W-wait that's not what I meant! I mean-"

"No, Amethyst…you're right. Steven **will** be a great leader…but he's still young. I…I think that's where our doubt stems from. We still see him as this little child just barely learning how to play the ukulele instead of the **gem **that he is. I also think we doubt him because he still seeks our guidance, which is natural of course. He's thirteen whereas we've lived for many millennia. But **age** doesn't limit wisdom. And besides, every great ruler has an equally great council around him." Garnet explained.

"…So how do we stop?" asked Pearl.

Everyone was silent.

"I-I think the more we love on him, the easier it'll be for us not to doubt him. At least that's how it worked for me. When he showed me kindness while I was trapped in the mirror…I don't know. I just knew I could trust him." Lapis explained.

"Yea…same here." Jasper chimed in. "So I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I got some serious making up to do" With that she revved up and spun dash toward home. The rest of the gems took her initiative and dashed back to their child as well.

By the time they entered the house, they saw him sleeping on Lion right in front of the warp pad.

"…He really wants Peridot to show up" whispered Jasper.

"Yea…I seriously think Steven's gonna turn into a fluff ball one of these days" remarked Amethyst and everyone hummed in agreement.

Lapis gingerly picked up the knocked out youth and carried him to his bed. Once he was cozy underneath the covers, she made her way down to the rest of the group.

"Hmmm…if Peridot does decide to show up, all of us shouldn't be in the same area; that'll intimidate her. So…Amethyst, Lapis and I will go into our rooms. Pearl and Jasper, I'll leave you two to watch over him" Garnet advised.

Pearl had a big ol' grin on her face and tears in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "_Finally_!" she thought.

But her dream scenario of snuggling while simultaneously watching him sleep were shattered when Jasper declared, "I'm sleeping with him." Pearl glared at her and was about to summon her spear to fight for that privilege.

"**Both** of you can sleep with him. The bed is big enough, and you can shrink your form if you need to" Garnet corrected.

Jasper and Pearl looked at each other and shuddered.

Pearl took a deep breath and said, "She's right. We're civil gems, so there's no reason why we can't…rest together."

"Tch…whatever" Jasper replied and made her way upstairs.

Pearl blushed in annoyance and followed after her.

"G, are you sure about those two?" Amethyst whispered.

"Yes. They need this and I trust that they won't kill each other for Steven's sake" she replied. Amethyst shrugged her shoulders and they followed Lapis inside the temple.

The pair of Steven-clingy gems were on each side of the bed, staring at the boy who thankfully was in the middle of the mattress. They meticulously laid down next to him; it was a tight fit…to say the least. Both of them had to lay on their sides and have their heads propped up by one arm. Neither one of them were willing to compromise their body shape.

"…_This is going to be a **long** night" _Jasper thought as she looked at the gem whose pointy nose was only a few centimeters away from her own. Pearl's dirty look mirrored her thoughts exactly.

But they were taken out of their competitive nature when Steven subconsciously grabbed their free hands and held them over his gem. They looked at him, then at each other. Pearl revealed a small smile, but Jasper followed suite by closing her eyes and feigning an air of indifference. "_…Okay. Maybe it won't be so bad…"_

* * *

A few hours later, Steven's internal clock caused him to open his heavy eyelids, even though his body was still pretty sore from yesterday's ordeal.

His eyes finally focused themselves and he saw Jasper and Pearl fast asleep, with their arms overlapping around and above him. He smiled at that, but then focused his attention to the window. He could see the scintillate rays of a new dawn peaking over the azure horizon. But when he looked down into the main part of the house, the only occupant was Lion stretched out on the floor fast asleep.

_"…I guess she's not coming…"_ he dejectedly concluded as a foreign frown manifested itself on his face. That is until Lion's ears perked up and he looked straight at the entry way.

Steven carefully sat up higher so as not to disturb the gems next to him. He waited with baited breath for anything to happen. Sure enough he heard the squeak of the screen door opening, and in walked the green gem…albeit a little worse for wear.

Peridot brushed off whatever was on her and nearly screamed when she came face to face with Lion.

"…Is the Steven here?" she whispered as she quickly composed herself. Lion merely looked up.

She followed his gaze and saw him with a dozen stars in his eyes, trying to stifle his excitement. She gave him a sheepish smile, but it disappeared as quickly as it came when she saw who he was with. Before she had a chance to tell him not to say anything, Steven exploded with glee like a child who realized it was Christmas day.

"PERIDOT!"

"Guh huh? Wha?" stuttered the sleepy gems as they groggily snapped to attention.

He bounded down the stairs and grabbed her in a tight hug. "You guys! Wake up! It's Peridot! She came! She's here!" he happily chanted.

"WHAT?!"

That woke them up real quick; they weren't even bothered by the fact that they were almost hugging each other. They almost tripped running down the stairs but they managed. Both of them were astonished to say the least; they did not expect her to **willingly** join the team.

As if she could read their thoughts, she said "D-don't get the wrong idea! I'm only here purely for observational purposes! The Steven…I mean **Steven**, has piqued my interest and I want to learn more about this power of his called love."

Steven just grinned. She knew she was putting on tough face because he noticed a little blush on her cheeks.

"…What happened to you this time?" Jasper asked as she finally observed her disheveled state.

"I know Steven said I could use the warp pad, but I didn't feel…safe using it. So I decided to wait outside the main entrance in case any of you were in the vicinity. It wouldn't have taken me so long if I didn't get lost. My radar was scrambled due to the whole arm dismemberment…" she clarified.

Jasper ran her hand through her hair and said, "…Listen. I'm sorry for what I did back there…I wasn't thinking clearly."

Peridot gave her a "no duh genius" look, but said "I accept your apology. Steven helped me understand the reasoning behind your actions."

"Yea…and also, I'm no longer your superior. We're equals now, so…" she held her hand out and Peridot couldn't believe her ears. For once in her life, she wasn't going to be viewed or treated as a second class gem…the very thing that she always wanted. She gingerly grabbed her muscular hand with her own free-floating digits and sealed the oath.

"Besides…I'm taking orders from someone else now…" she whispered while looking at Steven, who was standing next to Lion with the biggest smile on his face.

"Man, this is so AWESOME! Peridot, I can't wait to show you around town! And maybe you and Pearl can build a spaceship together since you both like fixing stuff! And-"

"Hold on a moment Steven" Pearl chuckled at his blissfully infectious attitude. "There's still one thing that needs to be addressed." She faced the former home world gem and asked, "Peridot, why were you sent to Earth?"

That question sucked all the cheerful life out of the house.

She knew this was coming…this was the only way to gain their trust; she was just grateful that it was beaten out of her. "I was sent here by the authority to check on an experiment called the cluster."

"W-what's the cluster?" Pearl hesitantly asked.

"Wait a second...you didn't tell her?" Peridot asked Jasper.

"They didn't ask me why I came to Earth. Besides...there were more important things on our minds" she added as she stole a glance at Steven. Peridot sighed.

"…I think it'd be better if I showed you instead of trying to explain it" she replied.

Steven could pick up on the anxious aura surrounding them. Another arduous day was looming over the horizon and he hoped that his mind and body were strong enough to handle it. Because something told him that he needed the strength of ten lions to support all of them.

* * *

**And that my friends completes "Project Turnaroud" so now it's time for a new arc, "Revelations and Reflections." What mysteries await the gems as they learn about the cluster? Will they be able to handle it? Stay tuned to find out.**

**So I figured that Peridot had to be a relatively new gem, and based on her mannerisms she seems more like a teenager. A studious, focused yet sometimes cheeky teenager. So she won't be a mom...in a sense.**

**Be honest, how many of you thought she was gonna follow Yellow Diamond's plan when she stepped on the glowing panel? ;)**

**We're about to head into some heavy stuff now so be prepared. And there will be a song, so just as a heads up. Because what's Steven Universe without a song here and there? **

**And thank you guys so much! I'm truly blessed that this story has touched so many!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities. **


	20. Chapter 20

**At the line break where Steven starts singing, listen to 2pac's Thugz Mansion(acoustic original and acoustic instrumental).**

* * *

Good morning.

The quintessential maxim to starting the day off on a positive note. However, the skittish steps of the gem septet created an unsettling melody that matched the somber aura of the kindergarten.

"…_Not even sunshine can make this place any less creepy"_ Steven thought as he observed the few rays that managed to penetrate the smog covered sky.

Peridot took the lead with Garnet and Jasper flanking her sides. Pearl and Amethyst were in the middle of the line while Steven hung in the back with Lapis and Lion.

He noticed that Lapis was rubbing her hands up and down on her arms, as if she was trying to warm herself up. She shuddered as she warily glanced at the human-shaped orifices dotting the walls and the scattered injectors.

She finally noticed that he was staring at her and immediately straightened up. He frowned at that so he grabbed her hand. She looked down at him, silently asking why he did that. He answered the unspoken question with a reassuring smile, letting her know that it's okay to be afraid and that he'll be there for her. She returned the gesture with a small smile of her own and nodded her head in gratitude.

"We're here" Peridot announced as the group came to an abrupt stop.

The actual area where the giant robanoid burrowed itself into the ground wasn't all that far from the warp pad; they could've reached it with three super jumps. It was almost as if they wanted to delay the experience that this experiment could imprint in the minds…permanently.

Peridot stepped onto the panel and it glowed in reaction to the energy within her body. "Now before we enter, I want to remind everyone that **I did not** create the cluster. I was only sent to check on it; this was started **long** before I was even made" she stressed.

"Sheesh, we get it! You told us a hundred times already!" Amethyst replied. The edginess in her tone only added fuel to tension around the gem family.

"…Just making sure" she said as sweat beads formed on her forehead. If they were this frazzled about hearing about an experiment that took place right underneath their feet, she had to take every precaution to make sure that she, nor Jasper for that matter, wouldn't be the brunt of their backlash.

Once everyone was on the panel, she activated her holo-pad and authorized the plug robanoid elevator to descend. Everyone took in the catacomb-like surroundings.

Garnet and Jasper stared straight ahead, the former tightly clenching her fists whereas the latter merely had her arms crossed.

Amethyst shuffled her feet a bit and Pearl's hairstyle drooped just a tad as she wrung her hands.

Lion's spiked up hairs on his back shattered his indifferent persona.

Steven continued holding Lapis' hand as her shuddering apprehension returned when she saw the green vein-like conduits lining the inky cavern walls.

"Lapis? A-are you going to be okay? Lion can take you back up. You don't need to force yourself to come down here" he whispered but she shook her head.

"Thank you Steven, but I need to see this. If these experiments involve trapping gems against their will…I want to be there to help them." With her declaration, she straightened out again and stood tall and absolute; her confidence restored by her desire to not let anyone experience the ordeal she went through.

The elevator reached its destination and everyone released a collective breath as they entered the powerless corridor.

Peridot took the initiative and activated a dual set of tractor beams from her hands and conformed them around a pair of the cylindrical columns protruding from the ceiling. "The clusters are in there" she explained before anyone had a chance to ask what she was doing.

After a couple of minutes, the two columns finally came out. She carefully laid them against the wall so as not to damage the delicate earth casing.

Jasper noticed the strain the manual labor was putting on Peridot's body and said, "I got this"

"Jasper wait! We need to be gentle!" Peridot exclaimed.

But the burly gem shapeshifted her feet so they had tacky grooves like a gecko and was already on the ceiling trying to pull one of the columns out.

"HRRRRGH RRRRRAAAAH" she grunted but managed to pull it out without cracking it.

She looked down at the rest of gems and with a cocky grin said, "See? Told you I got thAAH!"

Jasper relinquished her grip on the column when she felt something crawl on her leg. Reacting fast, Peridot caught the column within her tractor bream and set it down.

"Jasper! What's wro-"

Before Steven had a chance to finish his question, a cloud of smoke surrounded the upside down gem and something shiny fell to the ground. Everyone surrounded the foreign object.

"…They've emerged earlier than expected" commented Peridot.

Garnet picked up the strange rock formation and examined its mutated features.

"I-is that the cluster?" Pearl asked as she tentatively walked up to Garnet to get a better look.

"That's it? And here I thought it was going to be some crazy bio lizard monster" Amethyst nonchalantly said as her worries slowly dissipated.

However, Lapis didn't feel the same as she intently stared at the object. "_…It can't be…" _she thought.

"It's kinda looks like…two gem shards stuck together" observed Steven.

As soon as he uttered that statement, Garnet threw the offending object down in disgust.

"G-garnet?" asked Steven.

"GRAGH! Get off of me!" Jasper yelled.

Before anyone had a chance to glance up to see what was wrong, a slew of colorful, twitching limbs fell right on top of Garnet!

"AAAAHHHH!" yelled the frightened fusion as she desperately tried to get the odious body parts off of her.

"GARNET!" Pearl and Amethyst attempted to help their comrade, but she was flailing about too much for them to remove the mutated offenders!

Unable to take it anymore, Garnet screamed and unleashed an electromagnetic wave to rid herself of the crawling mass, causing a cloud of smoke to envelope her and inadvertently knocking everyone in the immediate vicinity to the ground.

Jasper landed on the ground with a resounding thud. "_Grrrr…stupid…little…gem bits…I outta_" the striped gem muttered. Needless to say she was **not** pleased about falling flat on her back as she slowly stood up while rubbing the back of her head.

The clanking of the gem projectiles created a sickening chime that reverberated throughout the cavern.

Once the smoke disappeared, everyone beheld Garnet bracing herself against the wall with her gauntlets drawn; her breathing was ragged and rapid. Seeing their leader so freaked out once again stoked the flames of their own rampant, panic-driven thoughts.

"G-garnet? Are y-you ok?" Pearl asked as she cautiously approached her upset teammate.

She vehemently shook her head "no" while running her gauntleted fingers through her drooping afro.

"What the heck were those?!" shouted Amethyst.

"More cluster specimens" Peridot flatly replied.

"Yea, I got that! But **what** are they?! And why are you so calm about this?!" she demanded.

Jasper was about to answer when another ear piercing scream rang throughout the catacomb.

Everyone looked over toward the source of the scream and saw Lapis kneeling on the ground surrounded by the conjoined gem shards. She was absolutely petrified, shuddering in sheer terror as she stared at the mutated specimens as if they were encroaching onto her.

Lion mirrored her sentiment as he hissed at the multicolored pieces.

Steven gingerly made her way over to her, making sure not to crush any of the gem shards underneath his feet, and held her.

"Lapis? What's wrong?!" he asked his perturbed friend.

"They're trapped! All of them! Just like I was!" she frantically said.

"What do you mean they're trapped?" he asked.

Before she had a chance to explain, one of the columns started to shake, most likely reacting to Garnet's earlier electrical discharge.

"W-What's happening?!" Steven asked as he held Lapis tighter. Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet backed away from the vibrating pillar.

"…Looks like a big one is about to come out" commented Jasper.

"A big one of what?! What the heck was going on down here?!" Amethyst was getting sick and tired of all these cryptic responses.

But she wouldn't have to wait long for an answer as the column exploded in a flash of white light. A huge cluster of gems rose into the air, with a silhouette of multiple arms surrounding it. Then the outline glitched and shifted into four humanlike forms that appeared as though they were screaming in agony.

Everyone except Jasper and Peridot gawked in horror at the irregular transformation of the experiment; the latter merely looked on in fascination and revulsion. The cluster continued to grow and mold together until the final form fleshed itself out.

"Oh…my…rock…" was the only thing that Pearl, or anyone for that matter, could breathe out as the tangled mess of legs and arms wrapped in black fabric fell onto the floor.

The horribly deformed creature crawled over to where the original crystal gem trio was.

"YOU GUYS! MOVE!"

But Steven's plea fell on deaf ears. His guardians were paralyzed by the erroneous sight they were witnessing.

However Jasper took the initiative and grabbed him, Peridot, and Lapis and moved them to the adjacent side of the room.

"Jasper! We have to get them too!" yelled Steven.

"…Don't worry. That…thing…won't hurt its own kind" she explained to the hysterical boy as she set them down.

"What do you mean?!" Another scream wrought Steven's attention back to the front as he saw the monstrosity gripping Pearl and Garnet, knocking the leader's glasses off while shoving Amethyst against the wall.

"Why aren't you guys moving?!" Steven screamed.

"Most likely too shocked to do so" commented Peridot as the startling sight finally unnerved her scientifically focused mind.

"After all…these are the **remains** of the rebels that defied home world" Jasper explained.

"W-what?!" Steven stuttered.

Garnet and Pearl came to that same conclusion when the leader cried, "These were crystal gems! Shattered into pieces! They were buried together! They were…they were forced to fuse!"

"…_That's what Lapis meant when she said that these gems were trapped!"_ Steven realized.

He looked over at Lapis and saw that her eyes were wide open in terror and she started hyperventilating. Even as Steven caressed her, she was numb to any sensations.

Steven turned his attention back to the mutant gem when he heard Pearl sob uncontrollably.

"Tiger…Viridine…what have they done to you?" she choked out as one of the hands caressed her cheek, its thumb soaked by her never ending tears.

"This…this is wrong" Garnet stuttered when she saw the massive conjoined gem in the middle of the messed up fusion. "I-I'm sorry! AH AAAH AUGH!"

"GARNET!" Steven yelled as he witnessed his mentor splitting apart. He made a move to go to her, but Jasper held him back.

"Steven no! That thing may recognize them, but it won't recognize you!" she stressed.

"I don't care! I have to help them!" He wrestled himself out of Jasper's hold and ran to the separating fusion.

"STEVEN! COME BACK!" she shouted but he didn't listen.

"Garnet! You're coming undone! Pearl! Amethyst! Snap out of it! Garnet needs help!" he pleaded. But Pearl was completely overwhelmed by the unsettling realization that her former comrades were part of an inhumane procedure and Amethyst was still dazed by the blow to her head.

He grabbed onto one of her disappearing legs and pleaded, "Garnet! Garnet please! This isn't like you! You belong together!"

That last line caused all three of her eyes to reopen. She willed herself to fuse back into the familiar being and pushed the amalgam back with a forceful blow, causing it to release its grip on Pearl and herself. Pearl fell to the floor and the overpowering mental and physical strain of re-fusing caused Garnet to collapse onto all fours as well.

"Garnet! Are you okay?! Say something!" Steven frantically asked while supporting her.

Another distorted screech erupted from the cluster as all four of its eyes opened up, staring right at the frightened child.

"Uh…Ahhh…" he tried to form coherent words but suddenly a glowing, orange, spiked wheel smashed through the supposedly incurable result of sadistic experimentation.

The creature disappeared in a cloud of purple haze and its gem bounced right in front of weary leader. Jasper stopped herself before she could ram into the destroyed power cell.

Steven stared at the massive gem jigsaw, but was taken out of his curious trance when he heard his mentor gasping for air. It was disturbing to say the least since gems didn't need to breathe.

"Garnet! It's okay, it's okay. You're safe now" he tried to assure her, but she replied through a broken voice, "No…no, it's not okay…"

Steven turned around when he heard heavy footsteps approach them.

Peridot picked up the anomaly and said, "…This isn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. It's not what she said!"

That's when Garnet shot up and gave her an uppercut right under her chin, causing her to drop the horrifying fusion experiment and almost implanting her head into the ceiling. She landed back on the floor with a clunking crash, moaning in pain. It's a good thing she's hardier than most gems because anyone else would've poofed from that vicious assault.

"Garnet! Wh-"

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THEM!" she roared and Steven immediately shut his lips. Even Pearl and Amethyst came back to their senses when they heard their enraged leader.

"Do you think this is some kind of sick joke?! Taking the remains of fallen gems and forcing them together against their will?!" she demanded as she advanced towards the downed gem.

"W-wait! I didn't do-"

"But you knew! If you really turned around, you would've destroyed this place before even showing it to us!" she countered.

"How was I supposed to know that this was wrong when I've been taught that fusion is a **forbidden practice**?! An **impure abomination**?!" Peridot yelled.

Garnet stopped dead in her tracks; the air in the cavern suddenly felt like a firecracker ready to explode.

She looked at her gauntlets and they started to shake. For so long, she had fought for freedom and peace of mind. A place where she could be herself, where no one could judge the outlawed love that Ruby and Sapphire shared for each other.

To hear that home world basically viewed her entire being as a disgusting pariah…she had no words to express her absolute animosity towards that kind of ludicrous rational.

She clenched her fists so tight that her joints popped in places that no one thought could pop. All three of her pupils were constricted and looked like they were out for blood; Steven had never seen Garnet this angry before and it unnerved him to his core.

Suddenly, she dashed toward Peridot with the intent of smashing her gem to dust. Before anyone had a chance to tell her to stop or for Peridot to form her canon in self-defense, Garnet's fist collided with a familiar orange helmet and the reverberating shockwaves pushed everyone back…including her.

Jasper somehow managed to get in-between her former subordinate and the raging fusion.

Peridot could only stare in amazement. Not too long ago, Jasper treated her like an insignificant peon. Now she's putting her life on the line to protect her.

_"I-is this what love can do?"_ she thought as she looked between the two titan warriors.

"Back off" growled Jasper as that scary glare of hers manifested itself on her face.

"Then I'll bash your head in too!" Garnet yelled.

"I'd like to see you try!" she retorted.

Before the two gems could go at each other, Steven boldly got between them and summoned two large shields on each arm to block their attacks; the resounding clang was deafening.

"STEVEN!" shouted Pearl, Amethyst and Peridot. Lapis was still dumbfounded by all the craziness that just occurred. The two original family members wanted to jump in as well, but Garnet's irate aura paralyzed them with the fear of her uncontrollable actions.

The adrenaline flowing through Steven's body was the only thing keeping him upright from the strain of using dual shields. Once he dismissed them, he faced his mentor and pleaded, "Garnet, please stop! They didn't do this!"

"SHUT UP STEVEN!" she roared.

It felt like all the air was sucked out of his body when she let those three words roll out of her mouth with such malice.

"Jasper knew that these were crystal gems! They knew what they were doing down here! I can't believe you'd defend them **knowing** how important fusion is to me! I **never** should've listened to you and allowed them to stay with us!"

Steven couldn't believe his ears and neither could Pearl.

"Garnet…no…" she whispered. She didn't want her to make the same mistake she did, especially considering how she preached about how everyone should start trusting him and how strong minded she's been during this whole process. Seeing her crumble like this was heartbreaking.

Tears pricked through his eyes, but he stood firm and said, "Of course I'm going to defend them, they're a part of **my** family! I'm **not** defending this!" as he gestured to the scattered gems shards on the ground. "It's not right to blame someone for something they didn't do!" he finished.

"But-!"

"News flash genius! Of course we knew what was going on because **Yellow Diamond told us about the experiment before we got here!** And in case you've forgotten, I was there at the first war for this planet! Kinda hard to forget those that tried to smash your gem into pieces! The only real thing I know about your fallen comrades was that Blue Diamond sent out the Jets after every battle to collect gem shards. As I'm sure you remember, they're built for speed and stealth. I thought they were gathering our own soldiers…now I see that Yellow had something much more sinister in mind. And why are you so surprised by this?! If she treats gems on her **own side** like crap, why wouldn't you think she wouldn't do much worse to her enemies?!" Jasper ranted.

Garnet closed her eyes, put her hands on top of her head and just flat-out screamed. She knew she was right, but she didn't want to hear it!

When she reopened her eyes and saw all the discarded gem shards, her pupils shrunk. She wasn't looking at the floor of the underground cavern anymore, in her mind she beheld the flaming battleground where countless gems lost their lives. She looked up, her face scowling in sheer rage. As soon as she saw the diamond emblem on Jasper's tank top, she completely lost it!

* * *

"RAAAAAAAAARGH!" She charged at her with her fist drawn back like an arrow.

Immediately Jasper grabbed Steven and threw him over toward where Pearl and Amethyst were; thankfully they still had enough sense left to catch him. She easily blocked her attack and sent her flying back against wall where the power cell was. Luckily Pearl and Amethyst clutched their little brother and ducked in time to avoid being hit.

"MOVE!" Jasper yelled and Pearl and Amethyst obeyed her order.

They carried Steven over to the entrance where Lion was a big spike ball of nerves over on the robanoid panel. Peridot followed suite by leading a still shaken up Lapis toward the same area. He watched in horror as his two family members looked like they were going to annihilate each other. Their battle cries echoed throughout the subterranean area like a cacophonous melody.

"C'mon! How are you going to beat me now that there's no power source to throw me into?!" Jasper taunted and Garnet responded with a flurry of punches, all of which she easily dodged or countered.

"Pearl! What's going on?! What's wrong with Garnet!?" cried Steven.

Pearl nervously gripped her sides and stuttered, "T-their anger i-is in sync"

"What does that mean?!" he asked.

"Normally, Ruby and Sapphire would balance each other if one of them was upset. But if they're both enraged, they enter **"berserker mode**." They lose all sense of themselves and basically become a mini Sugilite in terms strength. T-the last time this happened…R-rose had to defeat her…" she explained.

Steven just stared at her slack-jawed over her explanation. Garnet…their level-headed leader was capable of turning into a rampaging lunatic?! It was unfathomable!

"Will Jasper be able to handle her?!" asked Peridot.

"I-I don't know. If it gets any worse…we may have to bubble her…" Pearl confessed.

"B-bubble her?" Steven stammered. He was simply appalled at the thought of one his moms being imprisoned with the rest of the corrupted gems.

"NO!" Lapis suddenly shouted and that made everyone jump.

"Lapis, what's wrong?!" he asked as he reached out to her. But as soon as she saw his hands and the star emblem on shirt, she encapsulated herself within a whirling water prism.

"AH!" he yelped. He fell back in recoil and Pearl immediately scooped him up.

"What the?!" questioned Peridot as she quickly backed away.

Lion was in full on roaring mode at this point; he had enough of this madness and wanted to get the heck up outta there!

"Lapis! LAPIS LAZULI!" Steven repeatedly cried while trying to break out of Pearl's grip, but the only thing ringing in her mind was "_Bubble her…Yeah! Let's bubble it! Bubble…bubble…BUBBLE!" _

Lapis closed her eyes and screamed again as the internal chanting got louder and louder.

Everyone was flabbergasted as they watched her through widened eyes levitate high into the air; her shield creating a mini cyclone.

Jasper and Garnet were oblivious to the traumatic episode taking place behind them; almost as if they were in their own perilous world.

Through glowing, mirrored eyes, she saw the cowering star symbols and boomed, "YOU WILL NEVER TRAP ME AGAIN!"

Suddenly, tentacles sprouted from her safeguard and all Amethyst could say was "WHAT THE HECK MAN?!"

"Peridot! Take Steven and get out of here!" Pearl commanded as she dodged an incoming blow and threw Steven to her. She wasn't ready for that and ended up on the floor after she caught him.

"Owww…" she moaned but immediately gasped in shock when she saw one of Lapis' tentacles coming down right at them! But Pearl quickly summoned her spear and fired an energy shot so all that hit the young duo was a mist shower.

Amethyst and Pearl led Lapis inside the main chamber to distract her, so Steven, Peridot and Lion could escape. Another motive for the tactical maneuver was for Garnet seeing the bigger threat and possibly knock her out of her berserker mode.

Peridot and Steven watched the dual battle unfold. Lapis' out of control water whips were breaking the columns open, causing more shards to fall like a sharp shower. Pearl kept slashing at them, but the tentacles kept regenerating!

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING!? GET GOING!" she yelled when she noticed that they haven't left yet.

That snapped Peridot out of reverie and she immediately picked him up. But he tried to squirm out of her grip.

"Steven, we have to leave!" she demanded while trying to hold him.

"No, we have to help them!" he retorted.

"Steven, they're fighters, we're not! Not to mention there's no telling when all of those shards will start regenerating! What can we possibly do?!" she asked.

He didn't have time to think of a response before he witnessed Amethyst get hit by a tentacle and smashed into Jasper's back. Luckily for her, the fall caused her to dodge an oncoming blow from Garnet.

"WHAT THE HE-WOOAH!" Jasper incoherently shouted when she turned her head and finally saw Lapis' uncontrollable, destructive form.

Garnet saw the form as well, but instead of snapping out of her crazed state, she merely switched opponents and started attacking what she believed was a corrupted gem.

Steven just stared at the frightening scene. He pinched himself to see if he was truly awake; that this was nothing more than a nightmare.

No…it was real.

_"W-what can I do?"_ he thought. He'd never felt so useless in all his young life. He'd been on a roll so far, but this…this was just overwhelming.

"You! Pink thing! Get us outta here!" Peridot shouted but Lion merely sat down while still continuing to hiss.

"OH GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm on your side! I didn't know all this chaos was going to unfold! I just wanted them to trust me!"

But he wasn't hissing at her, he was hissing at Steven!

Peridot picked up on this and screamed, "Steven, that thing will only answer to you! Tell it to get us out of here! Now!"

But his mind didn't even register what she said. The only thing he could think about was how much of a failure he was.

_"I-I'm just a weak little hybrid who can barely control his powers. I can't even save my own family!" _He clenched his fists and tears started to roll down his cheeks.

When Peridot saw his reaction, it unsettled her more than the actual fighting taking place. She gently set him down. Normally she would've ditched anyone hindering her survival chances. But seeing him like this…she just couldn't tear herself away.

"No, Steven please! You said that everything would be okay in the end! Please…I-I need you…" she pleaded as those foreign words left her lips.

That snapped his eyes open. "_That's right…I can't give in to stinkin' thinkin'! This is only a bad day!"_ he realized.

That's when remembered what his dad did for him whenever he was upset, he'd sing! Thankfully the natural acoustics in the cavern were amazing. He quickly put his hand into Lion's mane to pull out his ukulele. Instead he pulled out a guitar that was just his size!

"What the? Lion, did you morph my ukulele?" he asked his on edge confidant.

He shook his head and attempted to flip the rose decorated guitar over with his muzzle.

Steven got the message and asked, "Peridot! Can you make a light?" Her digits started to glow and he saw the engraving on the back of it.

"_To my son, _

_Your father's music always made me smile, may your own song make others smile as well. _

_Love, Mom." _

He smiled at that, then took a deep breath to steel his nerves as he faced the macabre battle scene.

"_I'll need to thank dad for those guitar lessons later"_ he thought as he sat down.

"Steven! What're you doing?" Peridot exasperated.

"**Playing**" he replied.

He closed his eyes and just allowed his inner desire for peace to take over. The first few strums were a little rough and had to tune it a little, but soon he got into a solid yet simple rhythm. That's when a song entered his mind and it flowed out of his lips:

_A place to spend my quiet nights, time to unwind  
So much pressure in this life of mine, I cry at times  
Seeing my family hurt inside, don't know why  
Wish I could take it all away and throw it to the end of time_

* * *

Peridot just watched in awe as the raw lyrics erupted out of his vocal chords. Somehow it slowly eased her worries. She turned to face the battle scene to see if it was having any effect on the combatants.

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Pearl, Garnet, Jasper and Amethyst were still trying to fend off Lapis and the fusion leader was still a loose maverick.

"C'mon Steven…" Peridot whispered and that bit of encouragement caused his gem to start glowing.

* * *

_No one knows their struggle, they only see the trouble  
Not knowin it's hard to carry on when no one loves you  
Picture them inside the misery of a war scene  
No man alive has ever witnessed struggles they survived  
Prayin hard for better days, promise to hold on  
Me and the gems don't have a choice but to roll on  
We got a family spot to kick it  
Where we can drink soda and eat a bunch of fry bits  
A spot where we can lay in peace, and even though we're G's  
We still have a place, that we can play in peace  
And in my mind's eye I see our place, we gotta go there fast  
I got a spot for us all, so we can ball, at friends mansion_

* * *

When Steven shifted his voice from raw and edgy to melodic, the intensity of his gem's glow increased and Pearl was the first to sense this healing aura.

She looked over and squinted to see him sitting down playing his instrument.

"Steven!" she shouted and that caused Amethyst and Jasper to glance over where the light source was radiating from while still trying to block Lapis' attacks.

* * *

_Every corner, every city  
There's a place where life's a little easy  
A little cookie ice cream, laid back and cool  
Every hour, cause it's all good  
Leave all the stress from the world outside  
Every wrong done will be made right  
Nothin but peace, love  
And compassion, every place needs a friends mansion_

* * *

When he finished the chorus, Lapis suddenly stopped her rampaging attacks. Which was good for Jasper – there was water tentacle right above her face and would've had another massive welt to nurse if it made contact.

She looked over to where the harmonious sound was coming from and the enraged blaze in her eyes slowly dissipated.

"S-Steven…?" she whispered.

Because she let her guard down, she was unaware that Garnet had jumped up and was about smash her right through her water prism.

"G, NO!" Amethyst screamed as she quickly summoned two of her whips and caught the raging fusion before she did something that she would've undoubtedly regretted. She brought her crashing down to the ground, miraculously not crushing one mutant gem shard.

Pearl got on top of her whereas Jasper grabbed her legs, but not without getting a swift kick in the chin.

She was about use some colorful language but Pearl beat her to the punch when she pleaded, "Garnet! Please just listen! Listen to Steven! Trust him, like you always do!" That jogged something in her subconscious as they listened to his second verse:

* * *

_Will I survive all the fights and the darkness?  
Trouble sparks, they tell me home is where the heart is, dear beloved  
I shed heartfelt tears and won't sleep good  
due to my fears, witness peers catch punch shots  
Somebody cares, seen the diamonds ban us  
They'd rather see us locked in chains, please explain  
why they can't stand us, is there a way for me to change?  
Or are we just victims of things they did to maintain?_

* * *

At that point, Garnet ceased her thrashing and her pupils returned to their normal size as tears spilled from all three of her eyes.

And she wasn't the only one.

Peridot and Jasper remembered the horrible treatment they received, all for the sake of maintaining a "perfect utopia" by the diamonds' standard.

Lapis lowered herself to the ground and dismissed her water shield as her eyes returned their normal state. Albeit with more tears as she remembered how terrible it was to be a victim, trapped in that forsaken mirror.

But the one thing that she didn't want to occur happened…she made Steven feel like a victim of all this senseless violence that took place amongst his **own** family.

All because of a single word…

"Steven!" she choked out louder as the boy continued his natural, yet insightful verse:

* * *

_I need a place to rest my head  
with the little bit of good gems that remain, yea that's what I said  
There's a spot for us to roll, if you want it  
I'll lead the way, just follow and we'll go  
How can I be peaceful? While we're stuck in the bottom  
Watch one mom scream out while another one hit'em?  
I need my house that's full of love, we need to escape  
this deadly place and head above, to friends mansion_

* * *

As he sung the chorus again, all of the scattered shards rose into the air.

"WH-what's going on?!" asked Amethyst.

"They're regenerating!" yelled Jasper.

"All at once?! Why now?!" shouted Pearl.

Then she noticed that Garnet was trying to sit up.

"Jasper! Let go of her legs!"

"You sure about that?" she asked and Pearl nodded her head.

She reluctantly complied and Pearl got off of her as Amethyst dismissed her whips.

Garnet finally sat up with tears still staining her face.

"Garnet, do you know what going on?!" Pearl asked and the remorseful leader nodded her head.

"T-They're reacting to his song…his aura. This is what he wanted…to stop all this madness…for us to be at peace. I couldn't…I…I…Oh Steven, everyone… I'm so sorry" she choked out.

Pearl and Amethyst hugged their teammate, letting her know that she was forgiven.

But Jasper said, "Don't mean to dismiss your apology, but shouldn't we do something about this?!"

All of the mutant shards unfortunately finished their regeneration process and fleshed out in their hodgepodge forms. Most of them were one body part connected to another, such as an arm to another arm. But some of the bigger clusters had multiple limbs of different colors, and the biggest one even had multiple heads with fully functioning eyes and mouths. It let out a cacophonous moan that reverberated throughout the cavern.

Everyone immediately summoned their weapons, ready to defend their precious son; who was completely oblivious to everything going on since his eyes were still closed. But the clusters paid no attention to the battle-equipped gems as they slowly advanced toward the shining child.

"Oh no you don't!" Jasper was about to bum rush the leader, but Garnet held her back.

"Are you insane?!" she asked.

"No…for once I'm back in my right mind. Steven can handle it. I **know **he can."

Peridot and Lion weren't so sure as the former readied her canon and the latter bared his fangs in defense at the grotesque army. But Steven kept on singing:

* * *

_Dear mommas don't cry, your baby boy's doin good  
We got a slice of heaven and it ain't no hood  
Dad and I will play a show one night, from his song book  
Eatin' all kinds of foods from the Pizzas and the Fryman cooks  
Then we'll party like it's a major holiday_

_Sittin on beach banging drums, 'til the day came  
No one should be alone  
Everyone here is forgiven, so come home_

_I know in time we'll move past this mess_

_And we'll proudly display our star emblem crest  
Just think of all the gems that you knew in the past  
They're not passed on, we can help'em find peace at last  
Picture a place that they exist, together  
There's a place way better than this, I know it  
So right before I sleep, everyone, all I'm askin  
Have a smile on your face, and let's go back to friends mansion_

* * *

Peridot was shuddering violently as the humongous fusion experiment loomed over them with its mini brood inching closer and closer. She couldn't even focus enough to charge her plasma canon.

Lion was a giant puff ball at this point, roaring loudly to get that thing to back off.

But Steven kept on playing his guitar.

Suddenly, the grotesque behemoth stretched one of its arms out to touch him.

"S-Steven! STEVEN!" she yelled, still too paralyzed to do anything else.

It was only when that thing made contact his face did he flinch and stop playing the soothing chords. He didn't want to open his eyes and face whatever it was on the other side of his eyelids. He wanted to remain inside the safety of imaginative world. But he knew deep in his subconscious that in order to make his ideal a reality…he had to face his fears.

"…R….s…" the creature raggedly breathed out.

When he heard that, Steven cracked one eye open at a time and beheld the multi-eyed, multi-limbed, snaggle-toothed, different colored creature that delicately caressed his cheek with its massive index finger.

He gasped so hard, almost as if he was trying to suck in all of the oxygen particles within the cavern. The smaller fusions crawled into his lap, trying to get as close to his gem light as they could.

"R...rrr…ooooss…" the creature spoke again and that snapped him out of his shocked reverie.

"D-did t-that t-t-thing just say R-Rose?" Peridot stuttered as her metallic legs finally gave out under her.

"H….lll…p" it breathed again.

That's when everything became crystal clear in Steven's eyes; even Lion relaxed a little but still kept his guard up in case that freak tried to do anything to his charge.

"…Help? Is that…what you said?" he timidly asked.

"R…r…ssss….H…lll…p" it responded.

"…Don't worry" Steven said as he grabbed the massive finger with his tiny hand.

"I'll help you. All of you! And…I'm not Rose. My name is Steven!"

All of its eyes focused on the tiny being, concentrating on what it just heard. "…S…ssss…eee…vvv…n….H….lll…p…u…ssss" it rasped.

He smiled and answered, "Yea."

With that he removed his hand from its finger, closed his eyes and resumed playing the rest of his song:

* * *

_Every corner, every city  
There's a place where life's a little easy  
A little cookie ice cream, laid back and cool  
Every hour, cause it's all good  
Leave all the stress from the world outside  
Every wrong done will be made right  
Nothin but peace, love  
And compassion, every place needs a friends mansion_

* * *

As he finished it off with a couple a powerful chords, the brilliance from his gem rivaled that of the noon day sun, even making the desolate, dank cavern warm and inviting.

The resounding shock wave caused all the mutant gems to painlessly retreat into their gemstones and it refreshed the rest of his family like a rejuvenating rainstorm to a drought stricken plain.

All of the gems watched in awe as all the clusters slowly fell to the floor like delicate dandelion seeds.

"…What in the **world** was that?" breathed out Jasper as she felt the sudden charge within her.

"I-I don't know…Rose never did anything like **that**…" Pearl said.

"Guys, look! His glow is fading!" Amethyst pointed out, but he still kept on improving notes.

Peridot was the first to notice that he was shuddering just as she was before. "S-Steven? It's okay. You can stop, you did it! We're all okay" she attempted to comfort the scared child, but he didn't respond.

Instead he played harder; the strings were cutting into his delicate fingers. The pain from playing caused tears to spill from his sealed eyes, but he couldn't stop.

He had to keep playing. It was the only thing he could to keep his family safe…for him not to feel like failure.

Garnet's restored insight sensed his unnatural, despondent aura and she ran up to him. She forcibly took his mother's gift out of his bloody hands, gripped him tight and cried, "Steven! Please…no more"

He flinched from the contact and immediately opened his eyes. Once he saw the three-eyed gem in front of him, his mind instantly flashbacked to how furious she was when she yelled at him.

"NOOOOO!" he yelled and instinctively pushed her away.

Garnet was absolutely stunned. He did the one thing that plagued her worst nightmare…he pushed her away because he was scared of her.

That small, ineffective action dealt a harsher blow than any corrupt gem monster ever could. She looked at the bloody fingerprints he imprinted on her bodysuit.

"_No…what have I done?_" she thought as the weeping boy turned away from her and buried his face into Lion's mane.

His muffled cries stung everyone unfortunate enough to hear them.

Everyone just stared at him…unable to comprehend how to even begin to fix this mess.

The culmination of everything that they did…every negative action fueled by their own anxieties…they unintentionally inflicted onto Steven.

He was their rock when everything was going wrong…the cement that held their house together.

Now they were witnesses to how far he was willing to go for them. His mind became completely overwhelmed, and in turn…his sanity was **shattered**.

How could they even possibly put it back together when they always keep breaking it?

Amethyst and Pearl helped their comrade to her feet, supporting her as she stood on her weakened legs.

Lion looked at them through narrowed eyes. Without any command from them, he picked up his young master with his dexterous tail and carefully placed him on his back. He stood up and carried the exhausted hybrid to only he knew where he could recover from…everything.

His family could only look on as the pink confidant disappeared from their view.

"G-Garnet? W-what do we do now?" Pearl apprehensively asked. Instinctively, everyone looked to her for guidance.

But how could she give it? Did she even have the right to after the way she behaved? The mounting frustrations with her own inadequacies became too much for her. She quickly summoned her gauntlets and with an echoing yell cracked the floor beneath her in two. And in turn, caused the level-headed leader to split into her original forms as well.

Ruby continued to pound the floor with her single, crimson glove as her high body temperature evaporated her sorrowful tears.

Sapphire rubbed a cool, comforting hand on her soul mate's back. She turned to face the rest of her distraught team with a single tear flowing from underneath her bangs. Through a cracked voice she said, "We're going to do exactly what Steven wanted…we're going to bring all of these gems back to our friends' mansion. And **when** he comes back, we're going to have a smile on our faces and welcome him home. We'll reflect on everything that got us to this point. We **have** to get better, not only for his sake…but for ours as well."

Everyone solemnly nodded in agreement and they, except the low-spirited Ruby, began picking up every gem piece they could find.

Never in all her life was her future vision so cloudy, but the only thing that stood out was different pieces gravitating towards Steven. **How** and **when** all those pieces would meld together was anyone's guess.

* * *

**...**

**Stay tuned for part two of "Reflections and Revelations". Told you this was going to be heavy. Don't worry, we'll go back to lightheartedness after this arc.**

**I based the limbs falling on Garnet bit after a story my dad told me when he was covered under a bunch of baby water moccasins as a kid. Needless to say he's terrified of snakes.**

**I also wanted to make an important announcement. My birthday is this Friday, August 14. **

**And I'm so grateful to be celebrating another year because I almost died this past Sunday. **

**A coworker of mine brought me a mango smoothie to make amends for missing her opening shift. I drank it all since it tasted alright to me, but about an hour later I had to leave work because my stomach started to hurt. I ended up regurgitating the smoothie and thank God I made it home in my dazed state. That's when I started to break out in hives; I didn't know what was going on! My throat swelled up and I could barely breathe through my mouth, thankfully I was still able to breath through my nose and my mom was on her way home. All I believed was that just because it looked bad, doesn't mean I wasn't going to come out of this ok(see profile). And I did! You wouldn't know it if you saw the pictures of how far it spread. Even the doctor was amazed because I had ingested the equivalent of a liter of soda. Whatever caused me to have that reaction, probably the mangoes since I've never eaten one before, I'll find out when I do my follow up with an allergist next Monday. But for now...I'm going to enjoy my week-long vacation and have as much fun as I can whatever I decide to do.**

**So...I hope you'll understand that there won't be a new chapter until the end of the month while I'm still recovering and taking these medications. **

**And I know I say this, but to everyone who reads, comments, favs, follows or even takes a moment to glance at a few sentences of this story...I'm truly grateful to all of you! **

**I'm even getting misty-eyed as I'm typing this. **

**This story will continue, it has helped me so much in developing my own ideas for my own books. And one day, I hope you'll get just as many thrills from those as you do from this. Thank you guys so much! **

**I don't own Steven Universe nor 2pac's music catalogue, just my imaginative capabilities; just switched the lyrics up to match the show. **


	21. Chapter 21

**For a little ambienc_e, _listen to Lanayru Desert (Present) from Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword**

* * *

Shifting sands blew across the barren landscape. Its weathered fragments erasing any evidence of life that once roamed here by burying it where no light could hope to reach it. The only indicator of vitality that wouldn't be so easily overtaken by the non-forgiving wasteland were the colossal paw prints of an out of place predator. But the pink carnivore didn't have prey on his mind…he was searching for a different kind of prize that would satisfy him more than a meal for a ravenous appetite.

A smile.

That small, genuine gesture was all he desired.

And given his companion's current state of mind…Lion hoped against all odds that this hidden, long forgotten sanctuary would give him his wish. Or else the Steven that everyone knew and loved would be lost forever, becoming nothing more than a memory engulfed by the sands of time.

Hot winds billowed through Lion's mane and his sole rider buried his face further into the furry shield to protect himself from the scorching onslaught. It was first time Lion felt any movement from him since they begin their trek. It gave him some comfort to know that he didn't completely shut himself down.

Although…it's pretty difficult to be completely numb to the abnormal, sweltering temperatures of the arid wilderness.

He purred, trying to assure him that they were almost there.

Hopefully.

Working purely on instinct had its advantages, it beats wandering aimlessly around. But not knowing the exact location negated the convenience of his warp ability. Rose only showed him this area once, so his memory was a little foggy.

Once he reached the pinnacle of a steep sand dune, he beheld the sight before him. An array of oranges were painted across the vast, rippling sea of sand. The radiance from the sun caused the landscape to shimmer like diamonds. To any other traveler, the magnificent yet daunting sight would crush their will to carry on.

Luckily, Lion wasn't an ordinary traveler.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to focus his energy. When he reopened them, they glowed like white-hot fireballs. Through his enhanced vision, he was able to penetrate the layer of the seen into the realm of the unseen. A little ways from the concealing shadow of the dune, he found the indicator he had been searching for. He used his tail to hold Steven as he carefully sprinted down the sand mountain.

Soon he came upon a bud-shaped, alabaster stone no bigger than an ostrich egg. In response to the close proximity of Steven's gem, the stone began to pulse with a crimson color, almost as if its dormant heart had been jump started.

Suddenly, Lion's mane matched the color of his blazing irises and he struck the stone with a powerful swipe from his claws. He backed up as the stone started to shake and shine with the signature pink hue. Slowly it began to swell and split apart, almost as if a rose was blooming. After a couple of moments the stone finished its metamorphosis; now it was a thorn patterned, slightly elevated pink alabaster platform.

Lion returned to his normal color as he climbed up the steps and walked onto the mythical panel. Once they were in the center of the area, the floor shone with a brilliant fluorescent light and a familiar bubble shield surrounded them - only this shield was shaped like a diamond prism. Suddenly the area started to shake, as if some internal mechanism had been activated. But even then Steven didn't stir; his natural excitement and curiosity were overshadowed by a hanging melancholy cloud.

Lion watched the grains of sand slide down the shield as the prism gradually burrowed underground. After a couple of minutes, the mechanism ceased its operations and the prism disappeared. Lion cautiously stepped off the platform and set his paws onto the cobblestone floor of the massive, inky cavern. As soon as he did, the underground shelter lit up in an array of pinks and purples. He glanced up to see the source of the illumination. In the midst of all the natural forming glass stalactites, some of them had the same egg-shaped alabaster stones attached to some that were carved to resemble vines. When they bloomed, they resembled hanging lanterns.

Lion growled, trying to get his charge's attention to elicit some kind of response to the breathtaking sight…but to no avail. He sighed and continued his trek toward the end of the cavern. Soon he came upon a prodigious stone door with a star carved into it, similar to the one back at the temple.

However, instead of six gems on the door, there was only one. A clear diamond.

Tapping into his hidden power again, Lion stood up on his hind legs, being mindful to hold Steven with his tail, and pressed the star inward with his paw. Five pink lines split the door open and a rush of warm mist blew out.

As Lion walked inside, he really wished that Steven was in his right mind to behold the sight before them. Soothing steam blanketed an underground hot spring; its interior lit by a single, massive, colorless crystal embedded into the ceiling. At each corner of the hidden grotto was a gigantic, weapon-wielding, faceless statue all with uniform body shapes but different hairstyles. One held an azure-blue spiked ball mace, another grasped a silver lance, the other clutched a golden-yellow longsword, and the one Lion gravitated towards possessed a straight-bladed sabre that resembled Rose's sword. And it was pulsing with a pink light.

Abruptly, the glowing statue slowly pointed its weapon towards the crystal illumination source, causing the light to refract in different directions. Taking that as a cue, Lion walked down the small set of stairs towards the edge of the spring. He lifted the limp boy with his tail and delicately placed him in the remedying waters, making sure to hold his head above so he could breathe.

But his meticulousness would be for naught when all of sudden a row of rough, thorny vines emerged from the ground near the pool's edge. He instinctively let go of Steven and backed away, but immediately regretted his impromptu action when he saw his unconscious head go underwater.

The thorns were growing like weeds, higher and higher with each passing second making it impossible to jump over. He unleashed a supersonic roar, but just as quickly as the opening was made, more brambles grew in to seal it.

In his hectic state, Lion ran around to the other side of the pool to try and get to him, but the vines were spreading just as fast. In the midst of his running, he saw that the water was turning black. His eyes widened at the disturbing sight, and he increased his speed. Then it dawned on him that he could just warp in. He let loose another roar and went into the warp stream. But just as soon as he went in, he came back out. Still outside the pool! He grunted and tried to warp again, but met the same results.

By then the entire pool was enclosed by the prickly barrier, and he knew that slashing at it wouldn't do any good. He let out a loud howl, completely frustrated out of his mind.

When he more or less calmed down, he remembered what Rose had told him concerning this place, "_My friend. Should Steven's mind ever be overwhelmed, bring him here so he can recuperate. However, you **can't** interfere with the healing process, no matter what." _

He huffed and clawed at the ground. All he could do now was wait for the process to be over…but it didn't stop him from pacing around the perimeter.

* * *

Within the depths of the increasingly murky pool, Steven's comatose body sunk further down. Although his body was unresponsive, his gem still continued to beat with a lustrous pulse. Unfortunately, that light drew the attention of the encroaching contaminant and it penetrated through his gemstone. In response to the foreign invader, the intensity of the glow increased – as if a war was raging within him.

In truth…there was.

However, this war couldn't be won by canon fire or brute strength…it could only be won with a strong will. And like any battle, an enemy would use every tactic in the book to ensure victory…even if it's dirty…

* * *

Silence.

Even as he traversed through the shadows, his sandaled soles didn't make a sound against the invisible ground.

"Where am I?" Steven questioned wandered aimlessly around the aphotic abyss. "Why can't I remember anything? Did I get hurt again? No…that can't be it because then I'd be with mom."

As soon as he thought that a distorted voice shrilled, "_Rose should be here instead of you!" _

Steven looked around to see who said that, but there was nobody there. "No…my mom wanted me here" his shaky voice countered.

"_Not so perfect now are you?! Your fellow crystal rebels will **never** accept a broken and scarred…whatever you are!" _another horrid voice spoke out.

"M-my name is Steven! And I'm-"

But he was cut off when an additional voice screamed, _"SHUT UP STEVEN! No one in their right mind should ever listen to anything you have to say! Because you're WORTHLESS! AN OUTCAST! A BIG MISTAKE!"_

Steven covered his ears to try and block out the insensitive chants, but the damage had already been done, with the evidence of the inflicted wound being his tears.

"N-no…I'm not…" his said through his wavering voice, but the chants continued their merciless barrage, getting louder with every syllable.

The blackness suddenly shape-shifted into tentacles and began reaching out towards him. Steven was unaware of what was happening because his eyes were closed and had curled himself into the fetal position.

He kept on repeating "I'm not" over and over, but his volume was completely overpowered by the booming voices.

One of the misshapen appendages latched onto his foot and whatever substance that coated it slowly spread over his leg. He yelped and tried to back away but he was snatched by his other leg too!

"Let me go!" he pleaded but the voices replied, _"Why? You deserve to be lost in the darkness! Mistakes are meant to disappear!"_

"That…that's not true…" he said between cries, but the revolting entity continued to coat him with its nasty self. He struggled and fought but it seemed like the more he did, the faster it covered him. Now only his head and navel remained untouched.

_"Just give up…you can't fight what you can't see! Make this easy on yourself, there's no good ending for an abomination like you!"_ it assured.

As soon as it said that, a fire ignited inside of him and his gem reflected that flame with the light of supernova! He remembered Little Robbie and yelled, "I know I'm not perfect…I know I'll make mistakes…but that's ok! Everyone deserves a good ending! Even me! **And I believe it will happen! **I'll **do **my best and learn and be a great **ME**!"

With his bold declaration, the sinister shadow was rapidly losing its grip on him. In desperation it yelled, _"Why would anything want to be you?!"_

"Because I am **loved**! And you're nothing but a big ol' pile of stinkin' thinkin' scum!" he countered and the darkness was completely obliterated from the area. Soon the serene see-through crystalline palace materialized itself, as well as a comforting voice.

* * *

"Steven."

The young hybrid turned around and his huge grin matched the one his mother wore, albeit with less tears. He ran into her arms and she hugged him like there was no tomorrow.

"Steven, I'm so proud of you!" Rose said as she released him; he still sat in her lap.

"Mom…what happened to me?" he hesitantly asked.

She sighed and gave him a kiss on the forehead, with little diamond sparkles appearing at the point of contact. "Your mind was overwhelmed and it shut down because of the mental trauma. I know you don't want to…but please remember"

Steven grabbed his head as flashbacks of what happened underneath the kindergarten raced through his mind. The clusters, his family fighting, Garnet's berserker mode, and him singing all came back to him. He grabbed his mom and whimpered as he closed his eyes.

"Shhh…you're safe now Steven…nothing can hurt you" Rose assured as she stroked his hair. He looked at his mom with glossy eyes.

She tightened her grip and solemnly said, "Steven, I wish you didn't have to go through any of that…I'm so sorry."

He wiped his eyes and said, "It's not your fault. **You** didn't say all those mean things to me. You didn't punch me either…" with a touch of bitterness at the end. The castle walls started to turn opaque, reflecting his sour disposition.

Rose spoke, "Steven, I know you're upset"

"Not just upset, more confused than anything else! I mean while I was recovering from the first attack they were all lovey and doting, now they're saying all these horrible things! Making me feel like I shouldn't be here…and they don't even trust me. I know you told me not to hold it against them because they're learning to walk without you…but it was just too much" he sniffled as he looked away from her.

Rose immediately picked up the subtle undertone of regret and said, "Steven, none of this is your fault. Believe me, I know **exactly **what you're going through because **the gems that fought with me during the war **did the same thing…including Pearl and Garnet."

Steven couldn't believe his ears. His mom was the exalted Rose Quartz! Hero of Earth!

"It's true…Every battle plan I came up with was met with doubts and criticisms. **Especially** from Pearl if it involved me going out on the front lines. She always risked her life against her better judgement to make sure mine stayed intact" she said.

"But you had a shield" Steven pointed out.

"Like I said, against her better judgement. Garnet wasn't too vocal about my decision to rebel against home world, but she let me know about the dangers of what could happen and I believe she was hesitant once I made up mind…no matter the consequences. Because I knew that no matter what it looked like on the outside, I knew we would prevail" she explained.

"Just like Little Robbie!" Steven chimed in.

Rose hummed in agreement and said, "That was a wonderful story Connie gave you. But sometimes…I got overwhelmed trying to convince everyone to trust me. When that happened, I would come here. This is special spring that my former kin and I built."

"What's different between this spring and the other fountain?" he asked.

"This spring cleanses the mind by drawing out the negative energy. However…in order for that energy to be completed eradicated, **you **have to face it. No one else can interfere. Silver emphasized that if your will was weak…you were no longer fit to be diamond. So extra defensive measures were put in place to obey that philosophy" she added.

"…So those black tentacles I saw were just bad thoughts?" Steven asked and she nodded her head.

"That's why that thing said I couldn't fight what I couldn't see…" he realized.

"That's right, because you can't fight words physically speaking. The only to combat bad words is with good words and that's exactly what you did!" she proudly stated as she peppered him with kisses.

He giggled from the "attack", but then reflected "…It's kinda weird how basically puffs of air with sound can cause so much damage. It's just like what that rat sensei on TV said, _'We can choose to ignore words and let them wash over us, like a river over stone. Only we can make words into **weapons.**' '_I just wish those weapons didn't come from my own family… "

Rose hummed in agreement as she held her son. "Steven…I'm sorry that those dreadful thoughts about yourself were fueled by our family. I know you feel like you take the brunt of their issues, but the truth is… it's one of your powers."

"What?!" he asked.

"Diamonds have the ability to draw out and absorb feelings; your gemstone specifically drains the negativity out of those you come in contact with."

That's when the light bulb went off in Steven head. "So all that nasty talk…"

"Was you drawing out their impurities, so to speak. You are basically a personified version of this spring. You cleared their minds a little bit at a time." Rose finished.

"A little bit? Felt like it came out at once…" he commented.

"I know it did. I believe your father said it best when he told you that rocks were the most resistant change. You bringing in three former enemies, the threat of a home world invasion, and all the uncertainties about your abilities became too much for them. But bottling up your feelings so as though to appear strong and not have any flaws isn't the way to go. I believe the human saying is "the straw that broke the camel's back"; in other words once the bottle has reached its capacity, all it takes is a single trigger to unleash all the hurt stored inside. And your powers were that trigger" she explained.

"But I don't understand why they couldn't just…talk about it. They don't have to be pork chops. If no one didn't have any flaws, there wouldn't be anything to strive for. To be a better you in unexpected ways. Did they…feel like they couldn't talk to me? Well I guess they wouldn't if they don't even trust me…" Steven bitingly said.

"Yes…trust is a factor. They believed you wouldn't understand because you are a child, even though you have proven on more than one occasion that your wisdom far exceeds your age."

"Yea…about that. I been wondering and-"

"Steven. I said **your **wisdom. Remember, the only time I get to see what's going on is when you retreat into your gem and I tap into your memories. It's not me talking, it's all you." Rose answered cutting him off.

"But...how?" he asked.

"Remember what you told me last time we met? You proudly declared that it didn't matter if a billion gems came after you, you'll continue to take care of them because that's just what a family do. And that you had the power to choose what becomes reality? You chose to get better. You chose to start becoming a great king. All you're doing is confirming your declaration. I believe there was a human athlete that played a game called basketball for a team called the Bulls. He said that he would be the greatest player ever in the history of the game, and he strove for that. He believed what he said, practiced hard and sure enough he became the greatest. Just like I know you will" she fondly said.

"But…you're amazing! How can I possibly be greater than you? Everyone expects me to be like you when I'm grown…" he lamented.

"Then they should start expecting something else because you have already exceeded far more than I could've ever hoped to achieve. Long ago, I once met a king who was led his people with benevolence and helped them to turnaround from their bad habits that were permitted in the past, but ended up hurting them later. And he became leader when he was eight years old! He had that much intelligence and sense at such a young age!"

"Besides, isn't there a human saying that says, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken"? You may have some of my features, but you also have your dad's traits as well. You are the combination of our love, son. Not just between your father and I but for Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. You're **our** fused form, so don't sell yourself short" she smiled as she gave him another kiss on the cheek. He giggled at that and the palace walls returned to their clear state.

"Another reason why I believe Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst didn't come to you was because they didn't want to burden you with their problems. Remember how they sheltered you from the truth when they were preparing for Peridot's arrival?"

Steven nodded and said, "But…I told them that we could figure things out together."

"Fear has a way of absorbing all the hope out of a person. Just like what that black mass attempted to do to you. But it's only a trick; it only becomes dangerous if you allow to penetrate your mind."

"_Must be in there pretty deep"_ he thought then asked, "Can I bring them here? Maybe the spring can help them too! Or is it diamonds only?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. After the war, I reprogrammed it to only allow me inside. I continued to absorb the negative feelings from Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, in secret of course, because I believed I was the cause of them feeling that way. That I should be the one to face this…"

"…You felt like you had to punish yourself?" he asked and she slowly nodded.

"But they chose to follow you" he said and Rose remained quiet. "…Right?"

She sighed and said, "The majority of them yes. But…some of them were **temporarily** forced so to speak. Remember when I said that diamonds have the ability to drain another being's emotions?"

He nodded his head and she continued, "Our power can be utilized to the point of draining another gem's **will** to only obey us."

"You could mind control gems?!" Steven shouted.

Rose nodded her head and said, "Back on home world, Silver, Blue, Yellow and I each ruled our own area of the planet. I had the south, Silver controlled the north, Yellow and Blue had east and west respectively. Any gems in our area were subject to our control. So let's say a Jade from Yellow's district moved to my area, after a while Yellow's influence would disappear and mine would take hold. So no matter what the diamond authority was always present."

"During the war…sometimes my emotions would get the better of me when I tried to explain my reasoning for protecting Earth that I would accidentally activate that power. But I always shut it off when I realized what I had done. Even then, nine times out of ten they forgave me because they knew that I wasn't their shackle any more. That I had my own deficiencies that I needed to work through. It made me relatable to them, especially since everyone that fought alongside me was considered **defective**." she explained.

It took a minute for the cogs to turn in Steven's head, then he realized, "They used you guys as bait?!"

"I knew you'd be extraordinary. Not everyone has that kind of perception. But yes, everyone that was sent to Earth was basically cannon fodder. In the past, we only established kindergartens on uninhabited planets or planets with what we considered trivial beings. Earth was the most nutrient-rich planet we've ever come across, but also the first inhabited one with **sentient beings**. We didn't know what to expect so Silver "suggested" that we send the ones considered abnormal to test it out. I didn't agree with that logic, so I decided to go as the supervisor of the operation. Mind you this was **before** my kin labeled my mind defective" she explained.

"…Wait, does that mean that I'm mind controlling everyone now?! Is that why Lapis, Jasper and Peridot decided to stay with us?" he asked.

"No. Long before you were born, I trained myself to make sure that ability was permanently disabled. I will admit that I was thoroughly surprised and impressed that you were able to disable Yellow's hold on Peridot and Jasper. Lapis Lazuli had been on Earth for far too long to be under any diamond influence, so she had regained her free will. But I truly believe that the reason they turned around as quickly as they did is because you gave them a **voice. **Remember what Jasper told you when she brought you to the woods? _'__You didn't force anything on me! You encouraged me. You actually gave me an option. You gave me freedom.'_ You showed them empathy. Back on home world, no one would even dare to talk back to a diamond. So needless to say, those three had a lot of pent up feelings and you were the trigger that released them" she said.

"Wow…I had no idea. I mean, it didn't feel like I did anything special. It just felt natural" he said.

"That's another thing I love about the human race. No matter what the differences are, the majority of them possessed this innate sense of compassion and resilience."

"But you're compassionate too!" Steven said.

She rubbed his head and answered, "Experience developed mine, yours is natural" He didn't press further into it.

* * *

"…Mom, can I stay here for a while?" he asked.

"Of course! This is your recovery time. You can stay here as long as you want until you're ready to return. Plus…I can tell that you have many questions, and I'll be more than happy to answer them the best I can" she replied.

He sighed in relief; a part of him wanted to return to the gems right away, but he realized he had to take care of himself first before he could help anyone else.

"Okay. Did you…know about the clusters?" he tentatively asked and he felt her hand tense up a bit on his head.

"…Yes."

He stared at her with a blank face.

Before he had a chance to say anything, Rose followed up with, "But it's best if I explain this from the beginning. Remember when I said that we upheld the rules set forth by Black Diamond?"

He nodded and she continued, "Well…the four of us were **Black Diamond.** All of our gems were combined into one; they weren't in different areas such as Garnet's gems being on her hands."

"Did Black have lots of arms or legs or a second mouth?" Steven asked.

"No, we were a true humanoid fusion, just like Stevonnie. You two looked so adorable together" she said as she pinched his cheek, causing him to blush.

"But I digress. Black was her own entity so I don't even have any memories of what she did. I don't even know how we split apart. The only thing we have to remember her is an illustrated book. It contained the laws she wrote and pictures of what life was like on home world as well as herself."

"Kinda sounds like one of those history books Connie told me about. I wish I could see it…" Answering his wish, the crystal room manifested an old tome right in his hands.

"Cool!" he exclaimed as he flipped through the pages.

"Whoooaaa…that's Black Diamond?" he asked as he pointed at a massive black gem and Rose nodded.

She had his mom's curly hairstyle albeit with bangs, muscular legs like Garnet and arms that were slightly leaner than Jasper's. She wore shoulder armor pads and gauntlets, a sleeveless tunic dress with a fluttering sash similar to Opal's, body-suit like pants and no shoes. She had a face helmet that covered only her forehead and the bridge of her nose. Her weapon was a long, serrated sword as well as a shield with a single diamond on it. He flipped to another page and it had strange writing on it.

"What's this?" he asked

"Those are the decrees. They're written in our native language" she explained.

"But…there's only five of them" he observed.

"And each one carries an immeasurable amount of weight. They are:

**Grow and Expand**

**Learn**

**Respect**

**Protect**

**Subdue**"

"…That doesn't make any sense. Why are they so cryptic?" he asked.

"I don't know myself. Like I said, Black was her own being with her own independent thoughts. So it was left up to our own interpretation."

"How come you guys didn't fuse into her again?"

"Believe me the four of us tried, but for whatever reason… we just couldn't. While Silver, Blue and I reveled in our newfound independence, Yellow was very bitter about not being able to fuse. I believe that's why she outlawed fusion. Well...more or less. There are always exceptions to the rule, even one as absolute as the authority. But she really detests it now even more so since the rebellion… "she lamented.

"Sorta like "if I can't have it, no one else can" kind of thing?" Steven asked and Rose nodded her head.

"Now…about the clusters. There was another reason I wanted to protect Earth. Within one of the kindergartens, I discovered that Yellow was performing experiments on the manufactured gems that were deemed incomplete."

"You mean she smashed 'broken' gems and forced the shards to fuse with each other?!" Steven exclaimed.

"Yes. And I'll never forget what she told me."

"_Don't you see Rose, I'm doing this for us. By using these rejects, I can discover the secret to fusion and we can become Black Diamond again!"_

"I was completely enraged by her blind pursuit of forming Black Diamond…and to think that she would even use the precious shards of my fallen comrades is completely unforgivable!"

The crystalline room shook with her booming voice. She squeezed him to ground herself.

"So…you didn't know about the clusters we found?" he hesitantly asked.

"No. And I'm not at all surprised that Garnet entered berserker mode."

"…It was scary. I didn't mean to push her away, but seeing her like that just freaked me out." he guiltily said.

"I know. I'm sorry you had to experience that, and I'm sure she is as well. She loves you so much, all of them do. Heh, I even remember some of the names they came up with for you when I told them I was pregnant."

Steven got stars in his eyes and asked, "What were some of their ideas?"

"Well, Ruby wanted to name you Gusto and have Gus be your nickname. She wanted you to have strong, fiery name. Sapphire came up with a something a little more regal, Maximillian Rex."

Steven chuckled at those ideas. "Amethyst wanted to name you Amethyst Jr. but after Pearl lectured her about namesakes, she decided on Rose Jr."

"W-what did Pearl come up with?" he asked.

She gave him a soft smile. After everything that transpired between him and her, it made sense that he was a little unsure of whether or not she was happy when he was conceived. She replied, "Actually, she wanted to name you Bud - a more poetic version of Rose Jr."

Steven sighed in relief and asked, "So why'd you pick Steven?"

"Your dad that came up with it! I already liked the sound of it, but when he told me that it means "crown", I was sold. You are our crowning achievement Steven, and I'm so overjoyed that I could bring you into the world and experience all of its wonder."

"…Even at the cost of your physical form?" he asked.

"Even if it meant my gem had to be **broken**, I wouldn't change my decision."

"What made you decide to have me?" he asked.

* * *

A big smile revealed itself on her face as she explained, "Your father and I were sitting on the beach watching the ocean. He was playing a soft melody on his guitar that created such a euphoric atmosphere…it was almost ethereal.

Suddenly a little human girl shouted, _"Mommy look! That man makes pretty music!"_ _"Mm hm, he's a talented musician"_ the mother replied with a smile and she led her child away so as not to disturb us. Soon her attention was captured by a purple-spotted conch shell, and she was thoroughly shocked when she discovered that it was still inhabited. Greg was on cloud nine from the little girl's comment. He once told me that the best complement you can get is from a child because they don't know how to lie.

But my mind drifted elsewhere. _"Greg?" _

"_Yea Rose?" _

"_Have you ever thought about having a child of your own?" _

He abruptly stopped playing and stared at me wide-eyed. "_Well…all the time actually. Not like the making part of it! Not that! Well...I mean yea...that's kind of an important action and all since it does take two because it's physically impossible for me, since I'm a guy and all. A-and I didn't want to ask you because I-I thought it'd been insensitive. Since you're and alien and all and…hoo boy. I just made this super awkward…I'm sorry." _

I giggled and replied_, "Don't be. I'm the one who asked. So, this has been on your mind for a while?" _

He rubbed the back of his head and blushed_, "Yea. Ever since I babysat Sour Cream. He was such a chill kid. I always wondered if my child would be like or something completely different, but in a good way. Just the thought of teaching a little boy or girl guitar, watching him/her eat their first birthday cake, taking'em on rides at Fun land, and hearing'em say 'I love you' with their little voice just makes me giddy."_

I grabbed his hand and said, _"Greg, I'd be honored to help you bring a child into this glorious world."_

"_R-really?!"_

"_Really_"

* * *

"I'll never forget the silly dance he did and all the kisses we shared" she fondly recalled.

"Mom!" Steven exasperated as he blushed.

"Now Steven, I saw that Connie gave you a kiss on the forehead and I'm sure there will be plenty more where that came from" Rose slyly said.

"Ugh…" he groaned as he covered his eyes with his forearm.

Rose laughed and said, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

He slowly uncovered his face; he couldn't be mad at her even if tried super hard.

"When did you tell them about what would happen to you?" he asked.

"…I told them later that evening and naturally Greg was against it. I knew he wanted a child but he wanted me as well. He wanted all of us to be together. That's when I told him that he wouldn't be losing me at all. My body is nothing more than an illusion, my true self is my **gem**. A part of me will always be there, no matter what happens."

"But his mind began to fill with fear and doubt. Not only his but Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl's as well. A half-human half-gem was inconceivable, but not impossible."

"That's when I had to put my foot down so to speak and I told them, "_I understand your concerns, but they're not warranted. In the end this is my body and as such, this is my call. All I ask is that you trust my judgement, like you always have…"_ They didn't have a comeback except for their tears. Then I asked your father what he wanted and he told me a son. And here you are" she explained.

Steven was dumbfounded. This was exactly what happened to him. Once everything became real, that's when Garnet, Amethyst's and Pearl's demeanor started to change. And it was all based out of fear!

"…How do I get rid of fear?" he asked.

"Love. It's just like you told everyone when Jasper brought you to talk to Peridot. Love is patient, kind and it never fails. And it **does** banish fear. It may not look like it at first, but it always will. After all, that's how you were able to calm down Garnet and those clusters" she said.

"Yea, about that. What power was that? And how do I control my powers anyway?" he asked.

Rose quizzically looked at her son and asked, "You're not going ask what kind of powers you have?"

"Nope! It's like Pocket Monsters! I'd rather level up and discover my powers on my own" he explained.

Rose grinned and said, "Alright then. To answer your first question, I honestly have no idea what you did. I've never even done anything like that before. But it seems to be connected to your natural eloquent ability and music."

"Oh yeah! Thanks for the guitar, its awesome!" he exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"You're most welcome. _Although it was supposed to be birthday present…"_ she whispered to herself.

"Now, the secret to controlling your powers is emotional clarity. Remember when your gem reacted to your state of mind and caused you to unintentionally age?"

He nodded and she said, "The stronger your desire, the easier it'll be to use your powers. But remember, you have to continue to practice so you can build up your endurance to using your gem powers. Your human half can only take so much strain. And unfortunately…that may have to come sooner rather than later."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Steven. Even though I renounced my title as a diamond, I still have an instinctive connection to my kin due to use being fused. We're able to tell if something happened to one of us. I believe it's no mere coincidence that Yellow sent Peridot to check on the cluster. Out of many millennia that passed, not once has any home world force come within three light years of Earth. She must've sensed that something happened to me and decided to bide her time a little while longer. Probably waiting for the rest of our family to fall apart without a leader. Now after three failed attempts, she, Silver and Blue might come to investigate personally."

"What are they like?" he asked.

"Yellow has always been into advancements, so developing technology was her passion. Although her intellect was immeasurable, she had quite the superiority-complex and as such came off as a bit standoffish."

"Blue was a calm, usually silent warrior with a curious streak in her. That's why she always went off on scouting missions. But her strength was unrivaled."

"White, Silver is her nickname, was the embodiment of the perfectionist ideals. She assumed the position as leader of the diamonds so to speak since she was a master organizer and a tactical genius, but got easily flustered when things didn't go the way they were supposed to. That's how they were **back then**, I have no idea how much they've changed since the rebellion" she said.

"Well…it doesn't matter. I'll get stronger and we'll face them when the time comes" he declared.

"I know you will. I believe in you" she smiled.

"Thanks mom" Steven gratefully said as he embraced her.

"Hey, mom? Can you tell me more about yourself? Not all that war stuff, but like some of the adventures you guys went on and what the other planets were like and your favorite food and how you and dad dated. Just leave all that mushy stuff out" he pleaded.

Rose giggled with **their** signature laugh and said, "I'd be happy to. I'll even show you as well."

For however long Steven stayed within safety of his gem, Rose regaled him with fantastical tales of bravery, hardship, wonderment, and inspiration.

For the first time in a long while, he could just focus on himself and his mental well-being instead of being a lifeline for others. He finally had someone to support him that experienced the same trials he went through.

The perfect remedy was inside him all along; an internal declaration of his self-worth and the unconditional love and unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.

* * *

**Now that Steven's in good hands, who will be there to comfort the gems? Stay tuned for part three!**

**I chose the desert landscape mainly because I live in a desert and there's just something special about seeing the sunrise over the painted landscape. But that's just me. **

** At least this one is little more lighthearted than the last chapter. This'll give you guys a chance to resurrect yourselves before the next emotional bomb ;)**

**And I wanted to say thanks to everyone that wished me a happy birthday and a speedy recovery. Getting poked with a bunch of needles and getting blood drawn isn't fun...but at least I know that I'm allergic to mangoes and not soy.  
**

**And a happy birthday to SkyfallxKnight, I know you said that yours was at the end of the month.  
**

**Thanks again for all the reviews and views guys! You're awesome. And for those that start school this week, enjoy the beginning of a new year with new experiences.**

**Also, I wanted to apologize for all my grammatical errors throughout this story. I know how much you guys love "A Leader's Call" and I try to write as fast as I can. However, in doing so I sacrifice the quality of it. Nighttime is the only time I'm able to write out chapters, so that doesn't help proof-reading wise since I'm already tired. I mean, just going over the first few chapters made me want to slap myself. But hey, it's all a learning experience. I know I won't catch everything, but I need to stop making rookie mistakes. I care about this story and it deserves better.**

**That being said, I won't rush things anymore. I have to take my time. The chapters are getting longer and it's starting to get hard to complete one every week. So, please be patient with me. The chapters will come and they'll be a higher grade. After all "good things come to those who wait" **

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities and black diamond theories. **


	22. Chapter 22

Three days.

Three **excruciatingly** long days since the disastrous expedition into the underground cluster chamber.

And Steven was still missing.

To say that the gems weren't faring well without their little ball of sunshine was a **huge** understatement…

* * *

_Flashback: The first day…_

It was well beyond the twilight hours by the time the gems finished collecting the conjoined shards. When they emerged from the warp stream back to their home base, they were expecting to see their charge and his gigantic pet recovering and resting from the terrifying ordeal.

Unfortunately their assumption made them…well…you know the rest of the saying.

Needless to say their panic meters went from zero to one hundred in a matter of milliseconds.

Jasper tore through his room like a hurricane to try and find anything that could lead them to her little cub, but came up empty handed. "GRRRRRR RARRRR!" she roared and bolted out the door, leaving the rest of the stupefied team behind.

"_No…not again…_" Laps whispered to herself before she fled inside the temple.

Pearl was breathing erratically again but managed to ask, "Sapphire, do you see Steven?!"

"Does it look like she can see anything right now?!" Ruby harshly answered for her weeping soul mate as she led her to the disheveled couch. She quickly put the cushions back in place so Sapphire could sit down.

"Sapphire…please. Don't exert yourself. This is too much stress on you! I-I don't want to see you retreat into your gem" Ruby pleaded.

Through a cracked voice Sapphire replied, "But Ruby…this is all my fault! I should've seen this coming! I don't care if my gem breaks, I have to find him! But I can't see…I just can't see anything! Everything is just so…b-blurry!"

She dug her face into Ruby's warm chest and wailed from the top of her illusionary lungs. Ice manifested itself around the immediate area near the blue gem, but Ruby's increasing core temperature counteracted the encroaching frost - creating a muggy atmosphere within the domicile.

"Sapphire, this is my fault too! I was just so mad and I just… lashed out! I don't even know what I was thinking…" Ruby said as she cradled the distraught gem.

Unable to bear the heart-wrenching scene any longer, Amethyst let out a small growl and said, "C'mon Pearl! Let's go!"

"Go where?!" she demanded as she was being dragged by the annoyed purple gem.

"I don't know! Everywhere! I can't just sit here and do nothing while Steven's out there with his mind all jacked up! Let's go look for him the ol' fashioned way! The faster we find him, the faster all of this goes back to normal!"

Pearl stared at her for a brief second, then nodded at her tenacious attitude. Before the duo sprinted out the doorway, a thought quickly entered Pearl's mind and she commanded, "Peridot! See if you can't-"

"Way ahead of you" she replied as she brought up her holo-pad to try and find Steven's gem energy.

"And try to calm Jasper down!" she finished when she noticed the irate striped gem pacing back and forth in front of the temple.

Peridot grumbled, slid her digits over her face and thought "_Of course…why not?"_

Even though in the back of her mind it made sense. She, _**unfortunately**_, knew what made Jasper tick. "_I hope I can locate him soon…"_ she thought as she exited the house with her holo-pad still engaged.

She saw the two original crystal gems take off in different directions. Amethyst shape shifted into an owl and flew off towards the city whereas Pearl traveled towards the area where the multi-purpose warehouse was.

Then she looked down and saw her former supervisor surrounded by a mini dust cloud created by her furious footsteps.

"STEVEN! WHERE ARE YOOOOU?!"she erupted.

The high volume of her voice caused Peridot to flinch. "_I've never seen her so…concerned… about anyone. What in the world is so __**special**__ about Steven?" _she thought as she went down the deck stairs to the grassy alcove beneath the house.

Now that she was closer to the unhinged gem, she saw how she was grinding her teeth and running her thick hands through her spiky locks.

"…_She's gonna snap" _she thought.

But she steeled her electrical nerves and shouted, "Jasper! You need to relax! Walking around isn't helping!"

Jasper faced her former subordinate with her signature glare and countered, "I'm trying to think! So unless you have any better ideas-"

"I do as a matter of fact. I'm trying to locate his gem energy right now" she responded, cutting her off.

"Well, where is he?!" Jasper shouted as she marched up to where Peridot was standing.

She irritably sighed and said, "If I knew where he was, I wouldn't still be looking at my holo-pad, now would I?!"

Her sarcasm didn't sit with well with the already livid gem as she roared, "I don't need your smart mouth! I want my little cub! So hurry up and find him NOW!"

"HEY! Back off! Pearl, Amethyst and I are the only ones actually doing anything to find him! Lapis just ran inside the temple, probably just to sit in her room, all you're doing is yelling at me and the two combustible mini climates are either going to burn the house down or freeze it solid!" Peridot yelled back.

"HEY! I heard that!" Ruby shouted as she exited the beach house.

Peridot and Jasper looked up and saw the fiery gem run down the stairs – leaving smoldering foot prints in her wake.

"_Great…two hot heads to calm down…"_ Peridot thought.

As soon as she reached the grassy alcove where they were standing, Jasper bitingly asked, "Did you come down here just to yell at us?"

"No. I came out here to look for Steven, then I heard her big mouth!" Ruby answered as she pointed her thumb at Peridot. "You two better lay off my Sapphy! She's trying her hardest to find him, but her future vision isn't working!"

"Well if that ain't just perfect! What good is a gem whose ability is 'frozen'?!" Jasper ranted with the pernicious pun.

Peridot slowly backed away as the two firebrands glared at each other.

"HEY! I SAID LAY OFF! At least she's trying! All you're doing is pacing across the beach like some demented windup toy!" Ruby yelled as steam erupted from the top of her head.

"We wouldn't even be in this mess if you two didn't traumatize him! I can't believe your shameless fused form actually said that to his face! Tch, embodiment of love my foot, you hot-blooded hypocrite!" Jasper countered.

"You don't think I know that?! I don't need to be reminded that I hurt the one I love just as much as Sapphire!" Ruby screamed as more tears evaporated off of her heated face.

Jasper just crossed her arms and said "Now you know how it feels to be in my shoes. It sucks doesn't it? And the worse part about it is that you two knew him **longer**. You guys knew what made him tick and yet **you** **two **made the decision to throw all your confusion and anger onto him, when all he was trying to do was keep the peace."

"YOU…GAH…EVEN…GRRRRAH!" Ruby incoherently grunted.

"Uh…guys?" Peridot said as she glanced at her screen.

But the two hostile gems didn't even acknowledge her. Instead, both of them summoned their weapons, ready to commence round three of their duel.

"GUYS!" she shouted. Thankfully that snapped them out of their combative trance.

"WHAT?!" they simultaneously shouted.

"I'm picking up something…and it's heading this way!" she stated.

"Is it Steven?!" they asked.

Unfortunately, the large tremors signaled that it wasn't their beloved child. Suddenly, an immense mound of sand rose up and revealed a massive, purple, gem encrusted, scorpion-like monster that had an equally enormous golden eye in it jaws. Its blood-red pupil looked around, then focused on the startled trio.

"SCRRRRRRREEEEE!" it roared and attempted to stab them with its stingers.

Jasper grabbed Peridot, causing her holo-pad to revert back to a hand, and all three of them got out of the way. "What the heck is that thing?!" Peridot asked.

"A pointy punching bag" Jasper replied as she set her down and revved up towards the beast.

Ruby was already breaking the leg joints of the behemoth with her flame-engulfed gauntlet. "FEEL MY ETERNAL FLAME!" she shouted as she continued to barrage the retreating monster.

"Oh no you don't!" Jasper said as she uncurled herself. She smashed right into its eye, causing the leviathan to vanish in a cloud of smoke. The only thing that remained was a violet, rectangular-shaped gem. Ruby picked up the corrupted stone, bubbled it and sent it to the temple.

"What's going on?!" Lapis and Sapphire concurrently questioned as they ran out of the house.

"Just blowing off some steam" Jasper replied.

She was right. That monster turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It allowed them to unleash their anger in a more…productive way.

…More or less.

"Anyway, why the heck did you suddenly disappear?! In case you haven't noticed, we have a missing kid on our hands!" Jasper fumed to Lapis.

"I know that! Why do think I went inside the temple?! I looking all over for him through the waterways! Then I heard the tremors and thought he came back but was in some kind of trouble" she responded.

"A little heads up would've been nice!" said Ruby.

"I couldn't deal with everyone acting like…this!" she gestured to the air with her arms. "I needed to escape and focus! It's just the way I cope, okay?! So back off!" she retorted with tears in her eyes.

"She's right…" Sapphire lamented and everyone gave her their full attention. "I mean look at us! Our family is falling apart!"

"Really? **You** think we're still a family?! That's not the impression I got back at the kindergarten" Jasper scoffed.

"Yes I do! Look…these past few days have been a rough transition for all of us to say the least. But the one constant was **Steven**. He believed that we could come together and create something better than the sum of our parts" Sapphire explained.

"Like fusion…" Ruby realized.

"Exactly. Before my future vision disappeared…I saw different pieces of what looked like a puzzle gravitating towards him. I believe those pieces were **us**. We were gravitating towards the unconditional love that he exudes" she interpreted.

"Speak for yourself. Like I said, I'm here purely for observational purposes" Peridot rebuffed while looking away. But her words didn't fool anybody, especially when her blushing cheeks told volumes of how she **really** felt.

"Then why did you allow Steven to grab you by **your amputated arm** to lead you away to a safer area? Or why did you cling to him when he hugged you?" Sapphire asked.

Peridot snapped her attention back to the petite blue gem – staring at her wide-eyed. She didn't even bother to think that Steven told them about their encounter. And so thoroughly as well. "I…I…" she stuttered.

Jasper put a hand on her shoulder and tenderly said, "Hey…don't put on a tough face. Trust me, all it does is cause a whole lot of unnecessary pain."

"Yeah…it does" Ruby said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"How would you know?" asked Jasper.

Sapphire sighed and explained, "…We've never un-fused in front of Steven until you two came to Earth. Garnet always maintained this strong, indifferent persona. Partly to keep our family stable after Rose left, but mostly because…we were scared. Rose was ecstatic about our decision to be Garnet permanently, but Steven is the first of his kind. Not to mention a completely different person. We…we were afraid of what he would think about fusion, if he would have the same views as home world."

"But after seeing his reaction to Opal and then seeing Stevonnie, our anxieties slowly faded away. So we made the decision to tell him about us on his birthday. Needless to say that didn't go as planned. Even when he saw us fuse on the ship, his only concern was if he made a good first impression with us! He wasn't even disturbed when he first found out we had three eyes."

She and Ruby chuckled at the memories.

But Peridot thought, "_Who's Stevonnie? What's a birthday? Well…something tells me I'll find out if I stick around long enough." _

Sapphire continued, "All that time we gave ourselves unnecessary stress by putting on that mask instead of allowing ourselves to be honest with him. That's what all of us did. We took a chance on him and he accepted us as we were. We are truly fortunate to have Steven in our lives. Because as you well know, **not everyone, human or gem, is like that**. They'll be quick to judge and condemn in a heartbeat."

Everyone nodded at her analysis.

"But we abused his unconditional love and took it for granted…just like his forgiveness. I know during the shopping trip we told him that we were competing for his love, and that we realized that he had more than enough for all of us. And what have we done to show our love to him lately?! Garnet terrifies him, Lapis nearly drowns him, Jasper physically assaults him, Pearl proclaimed that she wished his mom were here instead of him, Amethyst blamed Greg through malicious shape-shifting, and Peridot almost blasted him to bits with her plasma cannon!" Sapphire angrily ranted.

Nobody said anything as stars dotted the umbra sky.

"…We treated him like a rubber band. He'd just bounce things off of him as if it wasn't a big deal! But even rubber loses its elasticity over time. Then…it snaps. I-I should've seen the wear! I could've-"

"Sapphire, no! Don't you dare blame yourself for not being able to see any of this! We were there too! We all could've done something to prevent this! Now…it's too late…" Ruby cried.

"Like heck it is!" Jasper declared. "We'll find him and we'll make this right!"

On cue Amethyst and Pearl arrived back in front of the temple and joined the rest of the group.

"What happened here?! And why are all of you crying?!" Pearl frantically asked when she observed their faces and the deep depressions in the sand.

"Pearl, relax. It was just a corrupted gem. And we were having a reflecting moment." Sapphire answered.

"But enough of that! Did you guys find him?!" asked Jasper.

The dejected duo shook their heads no.

"It's true what Mayor Dewey said…when the sun goes down, so does the town" Pearl said.

"Yea, I didn't see anybody out and about. Even the Big Donut was closed. I flew over to Greg's place, but I didn't see him inside the van. It actually looks pretty good inside, like he cleaned it or something" Amethyst added.

"Greg didn't see you, did he?!" Pearl asked with a slight tinge of panic in her voice.

"No! No, he was asleep" she assured.

Pearl exhaled in relief. She **did not** want to have another hurtful argument about how they were unfit to be Steven's guardians.

"I believe we should follow Greg's example and clean up our own house" Sapphire stated.

"What?!" Amethyst shouted. She did not like the idea of having her room and her organizational system messed with.

"What I mean is, what's the point of bringing Steven home when we're still in shambles? Have us go through all of this all over again? **No.** We need to rebuild ourselves and our family. And we need to base it on love…just like he declared the night he recovered" Sapphire clarified.

Jasper immediately crossed her arms and looked at the ground as she shuffled some sand underneath her feet.

"W-what did he say?" Peridot asked.

Jasper's curiosity overruled her guilt-driven actions and she looked up.

Lapis took the lead and explained, "He said, 'w_hat we have right here…is made out of love! There may have been some bumps along on the way, but we learned from those lessons and grew better together. And I'm _**_not_**_ going to let one bad time erase all the good times we've had together and the many more we'll have later._' I-I just wish I'd given him more good times…like he did for me with the coronation party."

"Yeah…pretty sure that goes for all of us…" Amethyst chimed in.

"So…how do we rebuild?" Peridot asked.

"We can start with apologizing to one another" Sapphire suggested.

For next few hours, the gems began the lengthy yet purifying process of atonement towards one another. The glimmering stars were the only witnesses to their shouting and crying, as well as the accepting embrace they shared when it was all said and done.

"…Wow. I'd never thought I'd do **anything** like that" Jasper commented as she wiped some stray tears away.

"Same here" Peridot added.

"…What about Steven? What's the plan?" Amethyst asked.

"…It's been an exhausting day, both physically and emotionally. I think we'd better rest and resume our search in the morning. But we have to do it in **secret**. If word gets to Greg that something happened to his son…I don't know how he'll react." Sapphire said.

"Uh…not to sound naïve, but who's Greg?" Peridot asked.

"He's Steven's father" Ruby answered.

"Rose's mate huh? Yea…if his anger is anything like the copy Rose's, we **really** have to keep this search and rescue covert" Jasper concluded.

"Agreed…plus Lion's with him and I know he'll keep him safe" Pearl added.

Everyone nodded at that and began to walk back toward the temple.

Well…all but one.

"Lapis? Aren't you coming?" Pearl asked.

"Yeah…I'll be there in a bit" she answered as she stared at the inky ocean.

Ruby grabbed her hand led her back to the temple; she remembered that this was Lapis' way of coping.

Once everyone was inside, Lapis sat on the grainy ground and ran her fingers through the surprisingly warm sand. It reminded her of Steven. It always amazed her how something so small could contain such a comforting fire. "Steven…I swear we'll find you…" she quietly said.

* * *

But they couldn't.

Amethyst and Pearl secretly scoured the entire seaside city. Just because everyone in town knew who they were and wouldn't stick out like Jasper or Peridot, they didn't want to risk anybody asking about Steven.

Jasper and Ruby traveled to different locations via the warp stream. They even asked Steven Jr. if he had seen him…unsuccessfully of course.

Peridot and Sapphire stayed at home and tried to sense where he was with their respective abilities, but to no avail.

Lapis searched the ocean floor to see if there were any secret gem areas that Lion might've taken him to, but nothing turned up.

Hope was running thin amongst them when everyone returned home.

"I don't understand! I should've been able to find him, even if he was somewhere out in the cosmos!" exasperated Peridot as she closed her holo-pad.

Sapphire wasn't faring too well either. She exhausted all of her gem energy trying to stimulate her future vision and that caused her to collapse on the couch. Ruby gently stroked her hair as she rested her head on her muscular thighs.

"Then we'll look beyond Earth's galaxy! I'll go to home world if I have to!" declared Jasper.

"GAH! Where in the world did Lion take him?!" Pearl screamed as she paced around the living room while running her hands through her hair.

Then she stopped abruptly when a sickening realization entered her frazzled mind. "Wh-what if he's-"

"**DON'T** say it" Amethyst seethed as she glared at her.

There was **that** possibility floating around in the back of everyone's mind, but they didn't want to hear it **nor** believe it.

"I-I don't think he's…**that**. Lion would've gotten us if **that** happened" Lapis assured.

"…Yeah." Pearl quietly said, but she wasn't so sure. The relationship between her and Lion had barely started developing on good ground. She remembered the way he stared at all of them. Almost as if he deemed them unfit to care for him as well.

"Or maybe he's like me…he couldn't deal with all of this anymore and just needed to escape. **Maybe he doesn't want to be found**" Lapis realized.

"…Can't blame him for that" Jasper said.

"Yea…we're all eating crow now" Amethyst added.

"What does that mean?" Peridot asked.

"It's a human saying. It means that we've been proven wrong about something when we were so sure of it" she explained.

"…Yes. We were **certain** that he'd be here and he'd forgive us like he always does. **I**, at one point,was certain that we'd be better off without him. But now…**he might be better off without us**" Pearl lamented as tears started to form.

"I wouldn't go that far" Ruby stated and everyone looked at her.

"Even though he's hurting, he's still **Steven.** He said it himself, one bad day isn't going to get rid of all the good days. I believe he'll come back. Whether he wants to yell at us or hug us is his call. We need to be prepared to accept any outcome."

"So…we're just going to wait?" Peridot asked and Ruby nodded her head.

"Wow…never thought I'd see the day when Ruby wanted to play the 'wait and see' card" Amethyst said.

"Well, some of Sapphire's patience had to rub off on me eventually. But let me be clear, **I'm not happy about waiting**" she stated.

None of them were, but it was the only thing they could do.

* * *

_The present time: At the car wash_

"There you go Mayor! You campaign car's all jazzed up with the works. Now when people see your shiny head on top, it'll be like a beacon of light - foretelling all the good things to come if you're re-elected." Greg overly dramatized to his super nit-picky client.

"Yes…yes! I like your creative input Universe." Mayor Dewey declared as he admired his vehicle.

"Thanks! Poetic eloquence comes with the music territory" he explained.

But it fell on deaf ears when he noticed that the mayor was admiring his reflection on the side of the truck. "What? Did you say something?" he asked as he fluffed the little tuft of hair on top of his head.

"…Never mind" he sighed.

"Okay then! Hope you don't mind that I use that beautiful line as a trademarked slogan" he said.

"Sure, go ahead. _It's not like anyone can own words anyway…" _he whispered to himself.

"Very good!" he praised as he patted Greg on his bare shoulder. "Now for the pay" he said as he took out his wallet.

Greg didn't expect too much of it. He'd been giving the mayor either half-off or free washes during his tenure in the hopes of getting political favors. But those 'favors' haven't manifested yet.

Well…that is until Greg felt a huge roll of paper in the palm of his hand.

When he examined the wad of cash, he realized that they were hundreds, not ones! Ten crisp hundred dollar bills to be exact! "M-m-mayor! Wh-what-" he sputtered.

"Consider that a political favor. It's just my way of saying thanks. To you for your hospitable service and to your son for saving our town. Now…don't tell anyone about this. This is strictly under the table, understand?" Mayor Dewey asked.

"Y-y-yes! Thank you so much!" Greg cried.

"Your welcome. Now, my only decree is that you two do something fun together" he said.

"I will! We will! Thank you!" Greg was about to give him a hug, until Mayor Dewey said "Hold it! Watch the suit!"

"Oh. Right! Sorry…spur of the moment" Greg sheepishly said as he backed off.

"Yes…well. I must be off to meet with my constituents" he said as he straightened out his suit jacket. He climbed into his truck and drove off the lot, leaving the faint echo of his name slogan behind.

Greg looked at the money and held it up to the sun. Yep! It was legal!

"WOO-HOO!" he hollered as he did a funky celebratory dance. He immediately opened his van doors and tucked the money inside a coffee can hidden within his record collection.

"_Man this is perfect! Now Steven and I can go to Whimsy World and even visit the legendary Rock Boat music hall! I gotta go tell him!"_ he thought.

With that, he quickly cleaned up his car wash and put up the "Closed" sign on the shutter doors. He hopped in the van, put on his fast-paced guitar music and drove off towards the temple.

"_This'll definitely make up for not seeing him for the past three days. Sheesh, did everyone in town need their car washed? Well…I'm grateful for the business. My can's never been __**that**__ full before"_ he thought.

Before he turned off onto the sand, he stopped over at the Big Donut to pick up some treats to celebrate.

"Welcome to the Big Donut" came the cheerful, yet ingrained response.

"Hiya Sadie!" Greg said.

"Hey Mr. Universe, how ya doin'? You look really happy" she said when she observed his big, giddy grin.

"I am! I made a killing over the past three days and now Steven and I are going to take a much needed vacation. I just wanted to pick up some donuts for him before I tell him the good news" he explained.

"That's awesome! Don't worry, I'll get all of Steven's favorites for you" she replied as she started getting the assortment ready.

"By the way, where's your co-worker? Lars right?" Greg questioned.

"Oh, him? Well…let's just say his brain needed some **physical therapy**, especially in the attitude and integrity lobes" Sadie explained as she cracked her knuckles.

"O-kay. Well, thanks for the donuts. How much do I owe you?" he asked.

"Two dollars and forty-nine cents" she replied.

"Really? For a dozen?!" he asked.

"Yep! I'll just say Steven redeemed his frequent buyer card and got nine for free" Sadie explained with a wink.

"Gosh…thank you so much! Steven'll love'em!" Greg said as he handed her a ten.

"Keep the change" he said when she attempted to give him his change back.

"No, this is my gift to you guys" she insisted.

"Then consider that a gift" he countered with a smile.

She smiled and relented, "Alright, alright. Thanks Mr. Universe!"

"You're welcome" he said.

"Tell Steven I said hi! I haven't seen him in a while."

"Really?" asked Greg, whose grin slowly disappeared with this slightly disturbing information.

"Yea. Granted, I haven't been at work for a while. I sprained my ankle a couple days ago. But the other day I saw Pearl walking around town…like she was looking for something" she explained.

"O-Oh. I'm sure it was just Amethyst hiding one her things again. Always the prankster!" Greg awkwardly said as sweat beads appeared on his forehead.

"Anyway, thanks again" he said as he not so subtly rushed out the door. He got in the van, placed the donuts in the passenger seat and ran his fingers through his hair.

"_No…no no no!"_ he thought as he turned the key and floored the gas pedal.

* * *

A billow of dust trailed the distressed driver. Once he got to the temple, he bolted out the door and ran up the hill to the beach house. But in his haste, he remembered that he forgot to turn the van off. He rewound his movements and made sure his van was properly shutdown and secured.

He then resumed his ascent and burst the screen door. The sudden entrance startled the two occupants of the abode.

"J-Jasper!" a squeaky voice yelled.

The titan gem hopped down from Steven's loft, leaving her prized tiger on his bed, and approached the gasping intruder.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Greg still had his eyes closed as he braced himself against the door frame, trying to get enough oxygen into his lungs. But he managed to breathe out, "S-Steven…"

"Wh-whoa!" he gasped.

Immediately, Greg's eyes opened wide when Jasper grabbed him by the collar of his sweaty tank top and asked, "What about Steven? Is he hurt? How do you know him? Who are you?!"

Greg got a good look at the wild-haired, muscular striped gem glaring at him. Then he remembered that a voice called this gem Jasper. "_This is her?!" _he thought.

"Answer me human!" she demanded as she gave him a little shake.

Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed in rage as he grabbed her wrists in an attempt to stop the jostling. The fear for the safety of his son morphed into anger and he yelled, "I'm Greg, and I'm Steven's father! Tell me where he is now!"

Jasper rapidly relinquished her hold on him. "_Oh crap…" _she worriedly thought.

He landed on the floor, but quickly got back up and asked, "Well, where is he?! And where's Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl?!"

The bombardment of questions made the two former enemies uncomfortably speechless.

"GAH!" he exasperated by throwing his arms up. He ran past them and approached the temple door. "GARNET! AMETHYST! PEARL! I know you're in there! Get out her NOW!" he shouted as he pounded his fist on the door.

A lengthy minute passed before a wavy, purple line split the magical portal apart, revealing only one of the crystal gems. "H-Hey Greg" Amethyst uncomfortably said as she rubbed the back of her head.

But Greg wasn't in a cordial mood. "Amethyst, I'm only going to ask once. Where's Steven?" he sternly said.

She didn't meet his gaze. She felt like a little kid who just got caught doing something wrong and had to fess up. "_Why did I have to come out and face him?!" _she thought.

Even though in the back of her mind it made sense for her to confront him. She had the most comradery with him…well more than anyone else, all things considered. If he saw Ruby and Sapphire, he would automatically know that something serious was going on. That and Pearl didn't want to explain **her contribution** to the unfortunate state of affairs.

"Amethyst!" he yelled.

"HE'S MISSING OKAY?! WE DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS! We…I mean we looked everywhere and we just…" she cried.

Greg's face didn't go through a whole film strip of emotions this time around. It was just…blank. He stared at the weeping gem, then quickly turned around to face Peridot and Jasper. "Did you two have something to do with this?!" he accused.

"Wha? NO! Do really think our gems, let alone our physical forms, would be intact if **we** were the reason Steven's gone?" Peridot replied.

Greg grabbed at his forehead to stave off an incoming headache. "Alright…I need some answers. Amethyst, get Pearl and Garnet now."

She wiped away some of her tears and replied, "I-I don't think that's-"

"This isn't up for discussion! Get. Them. Now" he firmly said.

Amethyst's excuse faltered due to his tone. Even Jasper and Peridot were a little shaken up by the intensity of his voice.

She went back inside and a minute later, Greg understood the reason why she didn't want to bring the rest of the group out.

"Ruby?! Sapphire?!" Greg exclaimed.

Ruby had her arms crossed and looked away from his sight of vision. Sapphire merely nodded in acknowledge. Then he saw Lapis and Pearl behind them. He noticed that Lapis was rubbing her hands up and down on her arms while staring at the ground, whereas Pearl looked paler than normal. Her hair was completely straight and her eyes were bloodshot from excessive crying.

"Greg…please, have a seat. I'll explain everything" Sapphire said.

Peridot and Jasper moved out of the way as he approached the couch.

Sapphire stood in the middle of the room, across from the coffee table. "_Talk about déjà vu" _she thought.

Jasper leaned against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed whereas Peridot went up to the loft and sat on the floor.

Pearl followed suit, but she opted to lay on the bed and bury her face in the pillows; she unconsciously grabbed Jasper's tiger to cuddle with.

Amethyst sat on one of the bar stools and suddenly found the various refrigerator magnets quite interesting.

Lapis sat on the padded window seat and stared at the increasingly choppy water.

Ruby stood next to her companion as she began the extensive explanation. She talked about Pearl's outburst, which unknown to them he already knew about. Peridot looked at Pearl's shuddering form when she heard her muffled cries.

Sapphire then transitioned to Jasper's plan and the beginning of Peridot's turnaround. Greg managed to crack a small smile when he heard what his son was able to do.

Then came the disturbing info about what occurred underneath the kindergarten and all he could do was gasp in shock.

"And that's where we stand. We know that Lion is with him and most likely took him somewhere to recover from…everything. We-we're sorry we didn't tell you. We were afraid that you would take him away from us. Because in the end…you were right. **We need him more than he needs us**" she finished as a small stream of tears flowed from her concealed eye. Ruby rubbed her back and even internally questioned her earlier declaration about Steven's return to the group.

* * *

Greg absorbed everything that was presented to him and instead of screaming or condemning, he started to laugh. Everyone stared at him incredulously while he held his head and laughed.

Offended by his bizarre expression, Ruby asked, "Why are laughing?! You think this is fu-" But she was cut off when she noticed his tears.

"Of course I don't think it's funny!" he snapped. "I-I don't know why I react like this when bad stuff happens, I just do! It's my way of coping okay?! Do you know how easy it would be for me to **hate** all of you right now?! But...I can't. There's just way too much messed up stuff going on!" he said and everyone remained quiet. "I mean, those cluster experiments sound like something out of Frankenstein!"

Peridot was about to ask what Frankenstein was, but figured that could wait for another time.

"But what I don't understand is why **we **keep putting him through all of this! **Steven's kindness isn't a possession!** These are our issues we need to deal with, not him!" he exclaimed.

The gems wished with all their hearts they knew the answer to that conundrum as well, but Sapphire picked up on something else.

"..When you said **we**, why did include yourself?" she asked.

He sighed and said, "Don't you remember? Lil' Butler."

That's when memories of caring for a younger Steven came flooding back to the original team.

"Care to be a bit more specific?" Peridot asked.

Amethyst covered her ears because she knew the rest of this messed up story and didn't want to hear it.

"…Amethyst and I used to watch a television show called "Lil' Butler" to escape the cold reality of Rose's departure. We would watch it over and over for several days straight. Whenever that need arose…I would leave Steven with Pearl and Garnet" he explained.

Lapis stood up from her seat and shouted, "You **abandoned** him?!" Good thing a giant wave didn't shoot up out of the ocean due to her fury.

"…Yes" he answered.

"Okay…I get that you were messed up in the head, but how could you possibly think that running away and leaving Steven behind was a good idea?!" ranted Jasper.

"It wasn't! I know it wasn't! I'm just so thankful that he was too young to remember that confusing and dark period in my life" he remorsefully said.

"How old was he? And how were guys even able to take care of him?" Lapis asked Sapphire.

"He was two or three at the time, and we altered the magical properties of the temple to create a safe area for him" she answered.

Lapis' eyes started to glow with a harsh, white light when she heard the explanation. She was so livid by this information that a couple of water hands rose out of the ocean. But she immediately banished her ire when she heard Greg's sobbing.

"So what made you stop?" Peridot asked.

Amethyst tried to sink her head further into the wooden counter.

"It was during one episode where Lil' Butler and the family decided to be good Samaritans to a child who was lost at the park. That knocked some sense into my brain when I realized I did the same thing to Steven. I was about to leave…but Amethyst…" And he trailed off.

Everyone shifted their attention to the purple gem, even Pearl lifted her head slightly off the pillows.

Amethyst could feel their stares, silently judging her. But that was nothing new. She was used to it…or so she thought. Unable to stand the silent pressure any longer, her head shot up and she blurted out, "I SHAPE SHIFTED INTO ROSE TO KEEP HIM WITH ME OKAY?! I didn't want to go back to reality! Greg was the only at the time who didn't know my backstory and accepted me anyway. I wanted to stay in that bubble and just…be happy. And I thought…turning into Rose would make him happy." After her explanation was done, she laid her head back on the wooden counter and cried her heart out.

"…Yeah. As messed up as **that **was…I'm kinda grateful for it. It made me realize that we couldn't just ignore our problems, we have to face them. I had to face the issue of raising Steven without Rose. I mean, a normal child is hard enough, but a hybrid is unknown territory. But in order to move forward, I had to stop beating myself up over what happened in the past. Something that I had no control over. **I just got sick and tired of using energy to hate myself. **So I started focusing on more productive ways to use it, like loving Steven and just doing the best that I can. And it's worked out so far. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he knows that he come to me for anything" he stated.

He looked up at the loft when he said that last bit and he briefly met Pearl's gaze before she buried her head into the pillows again.

"Anyway, I realized that everyone makes mistakes and it's our call to either learn from them or be a fool and repeat them" he said.

Amethyst flinched when he said that last part.

"Once you learn from it, then you **forgive** yourself for it. There's a saying that we're our own worst critic. But if other people can forgive you, why can't you?" he asked.

That's when the answer became crystal clear. Steven always forgave them, but they didn't forgive themselves. They always pointed out the deficiencies within themselves because in their mind, they thought they weren't good enough for him. And after seeing his shattered state, how could they even begin to think good things about themselves?

"You make it sound easy" Jasper commented.

"It's not. It's a process – just like anything really. Learning how to cook is a process. Mastering your gem powers is a process. Building a house on a large hill **was** a process, but we persevered and look what we've accomplished" he said as he gestured around the room.

"It's like the story Steven told us…we can't focus on stinkin' thinkin' because that's all we'll get" Lapis realized.

Greg nodded, then he asked, "So that begs the question. Are you guys willing to complete the process?"

Nobody said anything for a while.

Then Ruby said, "How are we supposed to even start? In addition to what we did to Steven, we have like almost twenty millennia of stinkin' thinkin' pins lodged in our heads thanks to home world. I know I'm sick and tired of feeling this way, but at the same time I **hate** waiting! And we can't have Steven wait for us to fix ourselves! What if we break him to the point of no return?! I-I just want it to be quick..."

"**If it were instantaneous, then we wouldn't appreciate it.**" Greg countered.

"Just like how we took him for granted…" Lapis lamented.

But Greg turned it around and said, "Now granted it can a quick turnaround, but that depends on your effort. Look, forgiving yourself is not about forgetting. It's about not bringing your mistakes in a negative light. Forgiving yourself is simply letting go of what you're holding against yourself so that you can move on. Something that I've recently accomplished…thanks to Steven."

"How so?" asked Sapphire.

"That's between me and him" he said and she respected their privacy.

"…Guess I know how Steven became so wise" Jasper commented.

Greg smiled at that, but said, "No, it's not me. But thanks for that though. Steven's insight in dealing with people is just…other worldly. There's no other way for me to explain it. He even takes what I taught him and puts a new perspective on it."

Everyone nodded at that assessment.

"Okay!" he declared as he wiped his eyes. "We need a new perspective if we're going to find him. Steven told me that Lion was connected to Rose, so it stands to reason that he took him to a place only she would go to. Did she ever disappear for long periods of time?" he asked.

"Now that you mention it…she did!" Sapphire replied.

"But she never told us **where. **We couldn't even find the place with our future vision" Ruby added.

"Pearl?" Greg asked.

She lifted her head off of the wet pillows and shouted, "I don't know!" Her head plopped back down on the bed and she cried again, devastated by the fact that she didn't know yet another of Rose's secrets.

"Okay…so it's a safe bet that Lion took Steven to a secret location that only Rose would know about and didn't want to be disturbed" Greg surmised.

"Yea, we kinda figured out the whole "not wanting to be found" part already. That's why we decided just to wait til he comes back" Jasper said.

"_If he comes back…"_ they thought.

* * *

Meanwhile…

****GASP** **

That small intake of air coupled with a melody of coughing was a wonderful orchestration to Lion's ears. He jovially roared and helped his companion sit up with his paw.

Steven's coughing eventually ceased and his eyes finally focused on the sight of the hidden oasis.

"Whooooaaaa" he marveled but was brought out of his trance when felt something heavy on his head.

"Lion!" he exclaimed as he hugged his furry confidant. Lion returned the embrace, but almost pulled him into his mane by accident. "Thanks for bringing me here" Steven said and Lion growled affectionately in response.

When they released from the hug, Steven commented "Wow, it's been a while since I felt this good!" as he stretched up. "C'mon Lion, let's go home! I want to try something out on the gems. I wonder how long I've been gone."

Lion answered that by stomping his paw on the ground three times.

"Three days?! Really?! It only felt like an hour to me. OH! Mom says hi and thank you" he said.

The gigantic pet nodded his head and lowered himself so Steven could climb on. But he immediately growled once he was situated on his back.

"What's wrong buddy?" Steven asked.

Lion grabbed him by the back of his shirt with his tail and set him down on the floor. Then turned around and began licking the spot where he previously sat.

That's when it clicked in Steven's head. "Oh…right, I'm all wet. Sorry about that. I wish I knew how to repel water like Garnet does…"

That gave Lion an idea. When he finished cleaning himself, he faced him and unleashed a high velocity wind roar. But he made sure not to make it too powerful, lest Steven ended up back in the water. After a couple of seconds, he closed his mouth and nodded at his clever solution.

Steven just blinked, then felt his clothes. They were still damp, but not as bad as it was before. "Am I good?" he asked as he fixed hair, which surprisingly wasn't all that messed up.

Lion lowered himself again, signaling that he was all good to go. He mounted his beast and Lion sprinted around the lagoon to build up momentum before disappearing into the warp portal.

Stillness and silence enveloped the hidden grotto…that is until the rays of light refracted by the Rose-like sword rejoined again and focused on a single area of the oasis. A moment later, a small eruption of bubbles disturbed the placid pool.

Suddenly, a black, urchin-shaped crystal about the size of a mango burst out of the water and steadily rose in the stream of light. Once it touched the point of the illuminated blade, it exploded into microscopic dust particles, which were then absorbed by the stone guardian.

Then the Rose-esque sculpture retracted its weapon back to its neutral position and ceased its radiant glow.

Serenity once again took sovereign over the hidden land, and one could only hope that the peace that Steven achieved would take sovereign over his heart permanently.

* * *

**Turns out Greg played the role of comforter. Sometimes we get help from unexpected sources. **

**Now that Steven's all charged up and ready to go, what plan does he have for the rest of his family? And what was that black crystal all about? Stay tuned for part 4 of "Reflections and Revelations"**

**I wanted to thank scooter2 for his idea for this chapter. He suggested that all the gems should apologize to one another. **

**I based the gem scorpion on the purple scorpion from Sonic and the Secret Rings. **

**I found some interesting things on tumblr, like how Pearl said Greg and Amethyst would disappear for days watching Lil Butler, someone said, well...who watching/taking care of Steven? And someone equated Garnet's big reveal of being a fusion to someone coming out. I've noticed how Garnet's personality became more relaxed once Steven found out she was a fusion. I dunno, it gave me something to ponder.  
**

**I figured that emotional clarity could apply to Sapphire's future vision, maybe that's why she's so cold and distant most of the time?**

**On another note...THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! OVER 300 FAVORITES AND FOLLOWS?! Sorry for the all caps but you guys are amazing! All those who read my story are amazing! I'm truly blessed!**

**See ya next time!**


	23. Chapter 23

**There are two songs in the chapter. You can listen to them if you want: **

**1\. "Mama" by Boyz 2 Men**

**2\. "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree**

* * *

"_If he comes back…"_

That parasitic thought permeated the minds of everyone within the well-built sanctuary – trying to consume the last sliver faith that remained in each of them. Luckily, one stray observation redirected the attention of one gem from the obscure whereabouts of her beloved cub.

"Hey…Greg? How did you know that Steven was missing? And why now?" Jasper asked.

"Well, I've been busy at the carwash the past three days and today was no exception. At least in the morning anyway; it started to die down by the afternoon. Any who, Mayor Dewey came over with his re-election truck and after I gave it the works, he gave me one thousand dollars. He told me, _'Consider that a political favor. It's just my way of saying thanks. To you for your hospitable service and to your son for saving our town. Now, my only decree is that you two do something fun together.'_ Then I thought I could surprise Steven with a vacation to Whimsy World. Y'know…after **everything** he's been through."

That last little bit didn't help with the gems' already diminished sense of self-worth. If anything it made them want to become inert and stay within the Earth's crust forever.

"So…I closed up shop and went over to the Big Donut to get him all of his favorite treats to celebrate. That's when Sadie told me to say hi to him because she hadn't seen him in a while. Then she said she saw Pearl the other day walking around town, like she was looking for something. Immediately, my "daddy alert" went off and here I am" he finished.

"…So much for keeping it covert" Jasper muttered to herself but Pearl heard it.

She took a couple of shuddering breaths as more tears flowed onto the damp comforter. "_Why can't I do anything right?! I really am a defective Pearl…" _she thought.

Nervously wringing her hands together, Ruby stuttered "We-we're really sorry that you had to find out that way. We-we should've told you in the beginning and owned up to our mistakes, but"

"I know, I get it. You were scared of losing him, and rightfully so" Greg irritably replied, cutting her off.

Everyone tensed up when he said that and subconsciously held an unnecessary collective breath.

He rubbed the back of his head and said, "Man, I don't know how many more life or death "daddy alerts" my body can take. I mean, I'm still trying to wrap my head around how **you two** decided that having him face off against…her" he extenuated by looking right into Jasper's eyes "was the **only** solution that would work."

Ruby and Sapphire looked at each other, then the former crossed her arms and looked at the floor. She muttered something under her breath, but Greg didn't catch it. "What?" he asked.

"I said it was **my **call" she responded.

"WHAT?!" Pearl, Amethyst and Greg shouted. Even Jasper and Lapis looked at her incredulously.

Peridot just stared at everyone. She didn't know how to react since she didn't know what the heck they were talking about. She was about to ask, but figured they would explain it soon enough.

Pearl got off the soggy sleeping area and clamored over to where Peridot was sitting. She stared at the red gem to see if she would refute her declaration, but she stood firm and absolute.

"I would've expected that kind of response from Sapphire, but **you** decided to let Steven face Jasper?!" exclaimed Amethyst.

"Is it really that hard to believe that I don't act on impulse all the time?!" Ruby harshly countered as her internal embers were building into a raging inferno.

Sapphire held her companion's hand to extinguish her emotional fire. The combustible gem took a deep breath and said "Look. While we were Garnet and Jasper tried to coerce Lapis to fuse with her, we saw every kind of scenario imaginable. **All of them ended up with us being destroyed. **I don't know which one was worse…Jasper taking control of the fused form or her going into her own version of berserker mode."

Jasper just stared at them wide-eyed and shuddered. She ran her hand through her wild hair and breathed out, "…Dang. I mean I know I could've, **would've**, done all that. But after everything I went through, after everything **he** did…it doesn't even seem like a possibility **now**..."

"Exactly. It was possibility that was avoided…thanks to Steven." Sapphire said.

"Yeah. When he used his birthright like that, that's when that vision revealed itself. His plan was the **only** one that ended up with all of us surviving" Ruby explained as she pointed to the original team as well as Lapis. "But it was a 50/50 shot **at best**" she clarified.

"Sure didn't look like it from where we were standing" commented Amethyst.

"I know that!" she snapped but Sapphire immediately rubbed circles on her back to calm her down.

"…Anyway. As soon as that scenario popped up, Sapphy was completely against it. I didn't like it either, but like Garnet said, _'Being a leader means you have to make choices that you don't necessarily like. But if it's good for the group then it must be made._' So, after a lot of debating, I managed to convince her to follow the path and we **reluctantly** decided to let him trade himself for Lapis. But remember how I said I hate waiting? I **really** hated waiting for that set-up to play itself out." Ruby extenuated.

"But…I don't understand. If you knew there was a chance that he would survive, why were you two so unsure about what to do concerning the critical condition he was in?" Pearl asked.

"When we saw him lying on the ground, my future vision turned off. We were just so shocked by the sight of his body that I couldn't think straight. It isn't the first time that we didn't know what to do. Don't you remember when he threw us those birthday parties?" Sapphire asked. Pearl nodded her head.

"Yeah…I mean Sapphire couldn't even watch as Garnet held you two back. But as soon as Jasper broke his arm-"

"ENOUGH!" roared Jasper, startling everyone. She stomped over to where the petite duo was and through gnashing fangs yelled, "I don't want to hear anymore! I already know what I did okay?!"

"**You** think you feel bad?! We wanted to split apart right then and there when we heard him scream bloody murder!" Ruby countered as she pointed her finger right at her face. That caused another intense stare down between the two gems.

"Stop this. Now." Sapphire seethed. The calm yet ferocious way she articulated her words froze everyone in their tracks.

"…_Guess I know where Garnet's anger **truly** comes from"_ Greg thought.

"Don't you remember what Greg just said? In order for us to move past this, we have to forgive ourselves and not bring our past mistakes in a negative light. No matter how **egregious** they were" Sapphire said.

The irritation in their eyes softened into a mutual feeling of shame.

"…She's right. I-I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make you feel worse" Ruby apologized and Jasper quietly responded, "…I know."

She walked back over to the edge of the kitchen counter, sat down on the floor and leaned against it. She closed her eyes and sighed, "I wish I could turn back time…"

"…Welcome to the club" Amethyst commented.

* * *

Everyone hung their heads down as the solemn aura pervaded the domicile with a vengeance.

"_In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair. W-will you still care? Will you be there?"_ Lapis quoted through a cracked voice as she hugged herself - imagining with all her might that it was Steven caressing her.

"_In my trials and my tribulations. Through our doubts and frustrations…" _Sapphire spoke as she gripped Ruby's trembling hand - not only to support her soulmate, but to steady her anxious mind as well.

"_I-in my violence, I-in my turbulence"_ Ruby uttered as the unstoppable tears evaporated off of her heated cheeks.

"_Through my fear and my confessions"_ Amethyst continued, letting her long locks create a mental barrier over her face.

"_I-in my a-anguish and m-my pain"_ Pearl could barely speak those words. Her whole body felt like it was experiencing the same recovery process Steven went through.

"_Through my joy and my sorrow…in the promise of another tomorrow" _Greg said as he laid his head back on the couch and closed his eyes.

"…Was…was that something Steven said?" Peridot hesitantly asked. She felt super awkward about possibly ruining such a poignant moment, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Yes" Lapis answered.

"…Actually, it's from a song I played for him when came to me after what Pearl **said** to him" Greg clarified as looked up at the green gem.

Immediately Pearl hopped down to the couch and pleaded, "I-I'm so sorry! Please, you have to believe me! I was just-" But Greg held his hand up to stop her train of excuses.

"Steven forgave you, and so do I. I'm ready to move on and so should you. Just be prepared to deal with any consequences for your actions. That goes for everyone" Greg stated.

"I think we're already dealing with the consequences!" Amethyst snapped back.

"Yeah. I thought Yellow's abuse was bad, but this is a billion times worse. And we're the ones shooting ourselves in the foot! I would've never thought in a million years that a **diamond** would make me feel so much…so much…whatever these feelings are for them!" Jasper reflected.

"I know what you mean. One word doesn't seem justify how we feel inside" Sapphire commented.

But Peridot had a more pressing thought to process. "J-Jasper? What did you mean by diamond?" she asked.

"Oh yeah…I forgot that you were made after the diamonds' history revisions. Well, long story short, Rose Quartz's real name was **Rose Diamond. **She was a ruler on home world and Yellow, Blue and Silver were her kin - before she rebelled anyway. After the war, Yellow wanted her disgraced in every possible way. That's why her former status isn't mentioned in any of our history texts, and why there isn't much written about the failed Earth colony - just that it wasn't suitable for gem production" Jasper explained.

Peridot's skin paled as she shuddered with the shocking revelation. But just to be absolutely certain she wasn't making an asinine assumption she asked, "W-W-wait…does that mean that-"

"Yep, my little cub is a** diamond**. I'm kinda surprised you didn't recognize the diamond insignia on his shield" she answered.

Peridot's eyes widened and sweat droplets flowed from her forehead. She ran her fingers through her hair and stuttered, "D-D-does he k-k-know?"

"No. Rose **detested** being called a diamond, and as such we never mentioned it. Before she gave birth to Steven, she made all of swear to **never** tell him about that sordid part of his heritage" Sapphire explained.

"Of course knowing him, he probably already figured it out" Amethyst said.

"I don't care what he is! I…I just want him back" Lapis softly finished as she walked back to the window seat. Tears trickled down her face as she stared out the window.

* * *

Everyone hummed in agreement with her earlier statement, but Peridot wasn't so sure if she wanted him to come back.

Yes, she was grateful for what he did for her. But what if **that** Steven didn't return? What if that beast of his took him somewhere to awaken the cruel diamond mentality that's possibly hidden within him?

She knew what happened to **anyone** who defied Yellow - she saw it first-hand! And Steven's a hybrid diamond! There's no telling what sort of abilities he had at his disposal. His supposed 'guardians' didn't even know!

She was wrought out of her corybantic state of mind when Lapis suddenly pressed her face against the window pane. "Wh-what? What is it?" Peridot asked.

"I-I see someone walking towards our house!" she answered.

Jasper and Amethyst didn't need to be told anymore as both of them jumped up and ran out the door. "STE-" their jubilant shout was cut short when they saw the startled visitor to their abode.

"O-oh, hey there. J-Just delivering a package for Steven. Is…is he here?" Jamie asked as he held the large, manila envelope in his quivering hand.

The disappointed duo silently growled at the nervous mailman before stomping back up the stairs and re-entering the house.

"…_O-kay. Well, I guess I better prepare my eardrums for more yelling from Barb"_ Jamie dejectedly thought as he walked back to the mailbox. Just as he was about to stick the package inside the designated holder, someone shouted his name.

"Jamie! Wait!"

"_Mr. Universe? Oh thank goodness!"_ Jamie exclaimed inside of his head.

It took a couple of seconds for Greg to catch his breath, then he said, "Sorry about that. Here, I'll sign for it."

"Thank you. …Is everything okay?" Jamie warily asked as Greg signed his name on the digital pad.

He sighed and answered, "…Honestly, no. Steven's…not doing too well. But he'll be better soon, and this'll certainly make his day. Thanks Jamie."

"No problem. Tell him I said hey and to feel better soon" Jamie sympathetically said.

"I will" he responded.

They exchanged soft smiles and Jamie went on his way to finish the rest of his route.

Greg turned the envelope over to see who sent it. When he saw the return label, he spiritlessly chuckled to himself. "_Of course it would come today…"_ he thought as he trudged back up the stairs.

Once he opened the door, everyone expectantly stared at him.

"So, what did the mail guy want?" Amethyst asked.

"He was just delivering this. I forgot that Steven had me order it a couple weeks ago. Before all this craziness happened…"

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

Greg internally debated whether or not to tell them what it was. It was too early for it to be seen and he wasn't sure if it would make'em feel better or worse. "_What would Steven do?"_ he asked himself, then the answer became clear.

"Actually…it's a gift. **A Mother's Day** gift for you, Sapphire, Amethyst and Pearl. I know it's not until next month, but he wanted to make sure it was done in time. Heh…he even emptied his entire cookie cat bank to pay for it" he answered.

As if their illusionary hearts weren't already stabbed enough by guilt and whatever else, now this hammer comes in and squashes it even further.

"Do you want to watch it?" he meekly asked.

The original crystal gem team looked at each other for a couple of minutes, then gave each other affirmative nods.

"Y-yes please" Pearl responded.

Greg opened the package and pulled out a DVD. "Do you know where his laptop is?" he asked.

Amethyst went up to his bedroom and grabbed it from his nightstand that had the cookie cat clock on top of it. She gave it to him and he booted it up. Everyone sat on the living floor since there wasn't enough room for everyone on the couch. Greg opened the correct program and played the final words that the gems could possibly hear him say.

* * *

The video opened up with Steven inside of Rose's healing sanctuary.

"_Garnet. Amethyst. Pearl. I know you told me about my **real** mom and not to call you guys that…but as far as I'm concerned you guys are all my **moms!** You take care of me, play with me, protect me, and teach me all kinds of stuff. I'm truly grateful to have all of you in my life, and I know that mom won't mind if she shared her title with you guys. You guys are awesome and I love you very much! Happy Mother's Day and I hope you enjoy the gift I made for you."_

He picked up his ukulele, went over to one of the smaller statues of Rose, and sat in its lap.

Before he played a single note he suddenly shouted, "_SURPRISE! This is a father's day video too! Dad, you are the coolest, most compassionate, and hardest working man in the whole world! I wanna be just like you when I grow up. But I want a just a little patch on my chin, not a full on beard._"

As he laughed, everyone else couldn't help but chuckle as well - albeit they had water running down their faces due to their obsolete tears ducts.

"Yeah…I can definitely picture him with a little fuzz one day" Amethyst said but immediately quieted down when he started playing his instrument.

"_I-I wrote this song myself…I hope you like it."_ Then he lifted up his shirt and spoke, _"I hope you like it too."_

In addition to his ukulele, a piano softly played in the background. Suddenly the screen was covered in pink rose petals, which slowly fluttered away as he began singing:

* * *

_You taught me everything  
And everything you've given me  
I always keep it inside  
You're the driving force in my life, yeah_

* * *

The video transitioned to a montage of family photos, beginning with a picture of them in front of an incomplete house:

* * *

_There isn't anything  
Or anyone that I can be  
And it just wouldn't feel right  
If I didn't have you by my side_  
_You were there for me to love and care for me  
When skies were grey  
Whenever I was down  
You were always there to comfort me  
And no one else can be what you have been to me  
You will always be  
You will always be the gems in my life  
For all times_

_Mamas, mamas, you know I love you  
Oh you know I love you  
Mamas, mamas, you're the queens of my heart  
Your love is like tears from the stars  
Mamas, I just want you to know  
Lovin' you is like food to my soul_

* * *

As the song shifted into some improv, memories of teaching Steven how to ride a bike, swim or even showing him how to make the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich flooded their minds.

Even the three new members of the family couldn't help but smile at some of the antics Steven got into: sleeping on top of Garnet's hair, building an impressive pillow fort with Amethyst, and even covering Pearl with flour as he attempted to help her cook.

Although it would only be for a fleeting moment, the happiness and nostalgia that the movie created removed the heart-breaking chains created by their regret.

Soon the song shifted back to a regular stanza, coupled with more photos - mainly of him with his father:

* * *

_You're always down for me  
Have always been around for me  
Even when I was bad  
You showed me right from my wrong  
Yes you did_

_And you took up for me  
When my own mind was downin' me  
You always did understand  
You gave me strength to go on_

_There were so many times_  
_Looking back when I was so afraid_  
_And then you come to me_  
_And say to me I can face anything_  
_And no one else can do what you have done for me_  
_You'll always be_  
_You will always be the guy in my life_

_Papa, Papa, you know I love you  
Oh you know I love you  
Papa, Papa, you're the king of my heart  
Your love is like tears from the stars  
Papa, I just want you to know  
Lovin' you is like food to my soul_

* * *

Greg had to squeeze his beard in order to get rid of all the salty water that collected in there. His grin got bigger and bigger with each passing photo. **Now** he remembered when he bought Steven that Ranger Guy at the beach last summer. Well…having five plates of that delicious funnel cake will make anyone's memory a bit hazy.

He looked over at the rest of the gems.

Everyone's eyes were completely glued to the mini screen, although Pearl was crying the hardest out of all of them.

Ruby and Sapphire were tightly clinging to each other - he was surprised that they didn't form Garnet yet.

Amethyst rubbed circles on Pearl's back as she tried to comfort her.

Lapis was sporting a big smile as well, fueled by Steven's exuberant voice as well as his high-spirited aura contained within each picture.

Jasper ran her hand through her hair and shook her head. Even though she was smiling, the scars of what she did to him still affected her.

But Peridot looked absolutely terrified. Her eyes were still as big as teacup saucers and her breathing was shallow. Greg wasn't sure what to make of her strange reaction; so he assumed that it had something to do with her being concerned about a possible change in Steven's demeanor **when** he came back.

Well…he was half right.

The speakers on the laptop blasted his next heartfelt verse:

* * *

_Never gonna go a day without you  
Fills me up just thinking about you  
I'll never go a day without my Pop Mas_

* * *

As he sang the role-specific choruses again Amethyst cried, "SO MANY FREAKIN' FEELS! I WANT MY LITTLE CINNAMON ROLL!"

Indeed. Even if Pop Mas didn't exist in the dictionary, it was still impactful none the less. Just knowing that he didn't want to leave anyone out in the last line, and in turn caused him to create his own Steve-ly word turned their tears faucets all the way to the max. Soon the song ended and the last image on the screen was everyone in front of the completed house with the words "Happy Family Day!" typed on top of it with big, purple letters.

Everyone was still speechless as Greg closed the laptop. "_Wow…Razorfin Productions certainly does good work. I mean…the vocal distortions they used to give him such a deep range were impeccable"_ he marveled.

But the gems weren't concerned with the production quality of the video, just the one who put it together.

"_H-He did th-this for us…He did this for me! How could I have said such horrible things to him?!"_ Pearl thought as she sobbed and smothered her face with her hands.

"GrrrrrrAHHHH! ALRIGHT! THAT DOES IT!" Ruby shouted and Pearl immediately reduced her crying to somewhat controllable hiccups.

"I'M SICK OF WAITING! I don't care if I have to flip over every single freakin' continent, I'm gonna find our little cutie pie!" she declared.

Before Sapphire even had a chance to reach out and grab her, she ran towards the door and almost tore it off its hinges. But her progress was impeded by a pink, furry wall.

"What the heck?!" she yelled until she heard a familiar growl - possibly uttering the same question in his native tongue.

"L-Lion?!" she stuttered.

Ruby backed up so the fuzzy confidant could enter the domicile. As soon as he moved out of the way, their precious little ball of sunshine finally made his long awaited homecoming.

"Hey guys!" he exuberantly said.

"STEVEN!" they exclaimed.

Greg was the first to act as he ran up and grabbed his dirty, damp, and unbelievably beautiful son.

"Oh thank goodness you're okay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He continued to ramble and cry as he held onto his son for dear life, making sure that none of this was a dream.

"D-Dad…can't…breath" Steven gasped and immediately Greg loosened up on his constricting grip.

"Oh Steven…I love you so much" was the only thing Greg could say as he ran his fingers through his son's curly, brown hair and kissed his dirt smudged cheeks.

"Dad…" Steven responded as he sunk further into his father's embrace.

The gems witnessed the tender moment with anxious hand wringing and shifting glances to nowhere in particular. All but one of them want to pounce on Steven and smother him with the affection he deserved. However, that lingering pin of self-hate over everything they did to him paralyzed them in their place.

Would he forgive them was the only thought running around in their heads. Well…in Peridot's case, would he do something **worse**.

After a few minutes, Greg released his son but still had his hands on his shoulders. "D-Don't scare me like that. You…you g-gotta promise me that you'll take it easy on this old man's heart" Greg choked out.

"I-I promise. I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make you worry. I-I just needed some time to myself" Steven explained as tears started to prick through his eyes as well.

Greg smiled and said, "I know, I understand. I'm just glad you're okay." With that he dove back in for another hug. This one didn't last as long as the first one, but it was still comforting none the less.

Now that his vision wasn't obscured by his father's scruffy beard, Steven finally got a good look at the rest of his family. But the sight of a certain duo gave him cause to pause. "Ruby?! Sapphire?! Why are you two here? I mean not that I'm not happy to see you guys, but Garnet said that she going to un-fuse for my birthday. **GASP** Is it my birthday?!" he asked.

Ruby and Sapphire just blinked at innocent youngling, then started laughing. Ruby quickly approached him, picked him up and threw him up in the air.

"Wh-Whoa!" he yelled.

When she caught him, she peppered him with kisses and declared "Everyday can be your birthday if you want it to!" Sapphire joined them in their little hug-fest and being the show off that she was, Ruby held both of them up – one in each hand.

"WOO HOO!" he laughed.

Not one to be outdone, Jasper grabbed him by the back of his shirt and held him next to her head. She didn't say a single word, but her shuddering breaths spoke volumes. Steven understood and nestled comfortably in the crook of her neck, being immersed within her soft locks.

That is until Amethyst decided to pounce on Jasper's back and ruffle his hair. "Aw yeah! My little play buddy is back!" she exclaimed as she continued to mess with him.

Although Steven was enjoying the playful gestures, Jasper wasn't too pleased about having her feet in her face. "Would you get off of me?!" she irritably said and Amethyst…sorta did as she was told.

She climbed on top of her head and used it as a springboard to hop onto one of the ceiling rafters. "HEY!" she yelled.

"What? I'm off of you ain't I?" she amusingly responded.

Even though Jasper let out a short growl, she couldn't help but crack a smile. It felt refreshing to see everyone so full of life of again.

And one gem desperately wanted to experience that naturally blissful aura.

Lapis tapped on Jasper's broad shoulder. Once the burly gem saw her pleading eyes and outstretched arms, she caved in and handed her precious cub over to her.

"Steven…I thought I'd never see you again" she softly cried as she held him tight. Steven didn't say anything; he just poured his heart into returning the gesture a hundred fold.

Near the temple door, Pearl and Peridot watched the sentimental moment. The former too filled with regret to grasp the one person she truly desired, while the latter was filled with the fear if this was the calm before the decimation storm.

Steven opened his eyes and amidst the jubilant atmosphere he beheld the two frightened gems in the corner. _"Guess it's now or never. I hope this works"_ he thought. "Lapis? Can you put me down for a second?" he asked and she begrudgingly complied.

That's when everyone noticed the shift in his attitude. His posture straightened up and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"S-Steven?" Lapis asked.

"_Oh no…here it comes"_ Peridot thought.

Before anyone even had a chance to try and apologize, he took a deep breath and said, "Guys...I know I have a lot of explaining to do. And I get the feeling you have a lot to say to me too, considering everything that's happened. But before we do **any** of that, I want to try something I learned. If it's okay. I really think it'll help."

Everyone nodded their heads; they really couldn't refuse anything he said at this point.

"Okay" he said.

He was about to move the living room table out of the way so there would be plenty of room for everyone to sit, but Ruby and Amethyst took care of it.

"OH! We need pillows!" he exclaimed.

"Pillows?" Greg asked.

"Yeah! I don't want you guys sitting on the hard floor. I'm…I'm not exactly sure how long this will take…" he explained.

Everyone was touched by his continued compassion.

"Steven, don't worry. We'll be fine" Sapphire assured.

"**No we won't!**" shouted Peridot.

Everyone looked at her like she was out of her mind.

"What are you talking about?! This is Steven, remember? He would never hurt us!" Amethyst countered.

"Steven wouldn't, but a **diamond** would! Jasper, don't tell me you've forgotten about The Beast Pit?! What if he's going to have that lion of his morph into some sort of uncontrollable monster and attack us?!" Peridot panicked as fear-laced tears poured out of her sockets.

Before Jasper could literally knock some sense into her, Steven put her hand on her muscular leg and looked up at her.

"It's okay" he softly said and she relented.

He focused his attention back onto Peridot and approached the frightened gem.

"N-no! P-please!" she pleaded as backed away from the potentially dangerous being. Soon her back was against the temple door. She was trapped! She crumpled to the floor and shielded her face with her metallic arms.

She whimpered, "P-please…h-have mercy! Please! I'm sorry for shooting at you! I'm sorry for the awful things I said! I know I'm just a defective piece of trash…but still…please let me live! I want to live! Please don't feed my gem to your lion! P-please…"

Everyone's heart went out to the terrified tech gem, but they knew without a shadow that it anyone could banish her…**their**…fears, it was Steven.

The stoic lad stared at her and absorbed everything that she said. Then he crouched down and did the one thing he does best. Peridot closed her eyes and flinched, but when she didn't feel any pain she cautiously reopened them. Her eyes widened when she beheld Steven embracing her, whereas to everyone else, it was just a natural occurrence.

"Peridot" he whispered and she immediately tensed up. "Long before we met, I learned about my heritage. And I **renounce it,** just like my mom did. Just because I'm half diamond doesn't mean I'm going to be a mean and bitter little sad sack. Just like you not having arms and legs doesn't mean that you're a terrible gem."

Peridot took in what was said to her and slowly closed her eyes again. She dug her face into the crook of his neck and gave him a fierce squeeze. Steven smiled and returned the gesture.

"Being labeled sucks, don't you think?" he asked and she nodded in agreement.

"C'mon and have a seat with everyone else. I **swear** I won't hurt you" he said. She gingerly stood up and allowed him to lead her into the living room area.

"Dad, you can join in too, if you want. I think this new ability will work on people too" he offered.

Greg understood, but he needed some cushioning. After all, he may not be super old, but he wasn't the young buck he used to be either. "_I **really** got to get back into shape" _he thought as he sat down on a couch cushion.

"Everybody comfortable?" he asked and everyone nodded.

"Good. Lion, can you come here please?" The gigantic pet did as he was told and approached his master. Steven reached inside his mane and pulled out his vine-patterned guitar.

Ruby and Sapphire cringed when they noticed the smeared, bloody fingerprints on the instrument's body and neck.

Greg was speechless when he saw it. "That's…that's the guitar I made for your mother! H-How did you get it?" he asked. Steven smiled and showed him the inscription on the back. Greg didn't have any more tears left in his reservoirs, so he settled for another father/son embrace.

"I'll explain everything later. I don't want to mess up my funky flow" he whispered into his dad's ear. Greg nodded and released his son so he could do his thing.

Steven took another deep breath and said, "…The first part is gonna be kinda weird. S-Sorry."

"What?" Peridot questioned.

He answered her question when he licked his palm and rubbed his saliva onto Lion's forehead. All of his hairs tingled from the sensation. Before he could clean it off, Steven commanded, "No Lion! Don't wipe it off, it's important!" He huffed but did as he was told.

He repeated the process and put a generous amount of spit on everyone's gems. Needless to say, Jasper and Peridot weren't pleased about having human oral secretions on their faces. But it's Steven, he knew what he doing…hopefully.

As soon as he finished putting spit on top of his dad's head, he sat down in front of the congregation and said "I-I came up with this song while I was gone. I hope you like it."

"_Talk about déjà vu" _everybody thought.

"Oh! And you'll need to close your eyes please. And don't open'em until the song is done." Everyone nodded at the instructions given to them and closed their eyes.

"Okay" he breathed out. He closed his eyes and began strumming the guitar:

* * *

_Listen as your day unfolds  
Challenge what the future holds  
Try and keep your head up to the sky  
Bad thoughts, they will 'cause you tears  
Go ahead release your fears  
Stand up and be counted  
Don't be ashamed to cry_

_You gotta be  
You gotta be good, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser  
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger  
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, we gotta stay together  
All I know, all I know, love will save the day_

* * *

Steven continued to play the soothing melody, hoping against all odds that it had the effect he desired.

"_Emotional clarity" _he remembered. His gem began to glow in response to his unbridled determination as he sung the next verse:

* * *

_Forget the things that Yellow said  
Listen to my voice instead  
We'll solve the puzzles in our own sweet time  
Peace of mind won't elude you  
Our team will make it through and through  
My oh my, yea, eh, eh_

_You gotta be good, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser  
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger  
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, we gotta stay together  
All I know, all I know, love will save the day_

* * *

Steven was so caught up in his enlightening song that he didn't the see nor hear the effects it was having on his family.

Lion clawed at the ground as tears sprang from his sealed eyelids. Every hair on his body was a straight as a cactus needle.

Greg closed his eyes even tighter, as if he was preventing something from escaping.

All of the gems were trembling from the sound of his voice and the tears continued to spill out. Suddenly, all of their gemstones started to pulse with a faint light. But as soon as that light appeared, a murky substance followed suit trying to snuff it out.

"AAAAAAAAH!" screamed Lapis as she gripped the hem of her skirt, almost tearing the illusionary fabric in half.

Jasper wasn't faring too well either. She ground her fangs together and squeezed her fists so tight that her veins looked like they would pop out of her skin.

Ember sparks were erupting from the top of Ruby's head, but thankfully they were negated by the snow flurry hovering above Sapphire. Despite all this, they kept their eyes closed as Steven continued to sing:

* * *

_Time ask no questions, it goes on without you  
Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace  
The world keeps on spinning  
Can't stop it, if you tried to  
We'll conqueror danger by smashing its face_

* * *

When he belted out that powerful verse, Pearl wailed from the top of her lungs - taking in big gasps of air between each ear-piecing scream.

Amethyst gritted her teeth and held the ends of her hair up to eyes to soak up the never-ending waterfall.

The electrical current within Peridot's body increased its voltaic discharge a hundred fold, causing severe abdominal contractions. She had to hunch over due to the excruciating pain, but she didn't dare open her eyes.

She and everyone else **believed** in Steven. It was just like that Little Robbie story he told them. They knew that no matter how awful it felt or how bad it looked, everything would be alright in the end. He switched back to a softer tone as he pushed forward:

* * *

_Listen as your day unfolds  
Challenge what the future holds  
Try and keep your head up to the sky  
Bad thoughts, they will 'cause you tears  
Go ahead release your fears  
My oh my, eh, eh, eh_

* * *

As he repeated the chorus, his gem shone like a supernova. The shadowy substance within his family's gemstones gradually went away and the intensity of their own pulsating light increased tremendously.

Even Lion's mane was emanating all kinds of fluorescent colors.

Greg was heavily breathing at this point, like he had just ran a marathon. But Steven still continued to strum on his strings, matching the powerful chords to the equally compelling verse:

* * *

_Got to be bold  
Got to be good  
Got to be wise  
You're all the best  
Got to be hard  
Not too too hard  
All I know is love will save the day_

_You gotta be good, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser  
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger  
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, we gotta stay together_

* * *

When he cantillated that high yet harmonious note, everyone took a collective breath.

The holographic bodies of his gem family transformed into their basic light silhouettes, and that dark entity was expelled from within them. Lion let loose a deafening roar just as Greg hit a raspy tenor note when he screamed.

As soon as Steven struck the final note on his guitar, his gem unleashed another resounding shock wave. It was only when the wind generated aftershock knocked him to the ground did he stop playing.

"Uhhh…wha?" he mumbled as he sluggishly sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He slowly opened his eyes and almost fainted at the sight in front of him. "No! No no no no! What happened?!" he panicked.

Lion and his dad were lying on the ground - completely unconscious! And before him were seven gemstones where seven bodies should be!

"OH NO! What have I done?! Wait…No! It's okay! This is what happened with those clusters, right?" he rambled to himself.

He dropped his guitar and ran over to his dad near the kitchen area. He placed his ear against the left side of his chest and listened with baited breath. He sighed in relief when he heard a heartbeat. Upon closer inspection, it appeared as though Greg was in a deep sleep; he was snoring and everything.

Then he ran over to his beloved pet near the entry way and saw that he was lying on his back. His body was all contorted like a wavy line, with his tongue hanging out no less. But he was breathing. He sighed and said, "Right. Okay…they're okay. I need to stop talking to myself and focus."

He went over to the colorful array of gemstones and checked each one for cracks. Thankfully there weren't any. However, Ruby and Sapphire's gems had a blot of purple in the center of them. "What the? Did a piece of them merge together somehow? Is it…Garnet?!" he thought aloud.

He didn't know what to make of this strange phenomenon, but he was glad that everything seemed to be alright.

"Oh, right!" He rummaged through his cabinet and pulled out a couple of blankets and pillows. _"Guess we needed these after all"_ he thought.

He carefully lifted his dad's head and placed an extra squishy pillow under it. He covered him with a red blanket and whispered, "Sweet dreams."

He was about to cover Lion as well, until he remembered the last time he did that he slashed the sheet into little slivers. _"…Eh, he's comfy enough"_ he concluded as he rubbed his belly. Surprisingly, he didn't even twitch. "_Wow…I really knocked him out_" he thought.

Last but not least, he wrapped all the gemstones in an earth-tones striped sheet and placed the delicate bundle on his bed. "I know gems don't need sleep, but I hope you have a good rest either way" he said as he kissed each one.

"Yawnnnnn…hmmmm. Sleep doesn't sound so bad right now" he mumbled. Then he looked down at his grimy wardrobe. "After I take a shower."

As he went back down the stairs, his ears picked up on a low hissing sound. He looked underneath his feet to see if he stepped on anything, but the stairs were bare.

Then the hissing got louder.

He looked at Lion to see if he woke up or if this was just his weird way of snoring. But he was still out cold.

Sweat beads formed on his forehead as he heard ragged breathing coupled with the reptilian hissing noise. He nervously looked up and his eyes widened at the horrific sight.

Up on the ceiling rafters was a misshapen, serpentine creature that looked like it was covered in black sludge. It didn't have any eyes and its front claw-like appendages were sticking to the wood; almost like it had tar on the bottom of its soles. Suddenly, it focused its attention on the gawking hybrid. Or more specifically the naturally joyous aura he emanated. It released a ragged roar and rapidly lunged towards him.

Luckily, Steven was able to trap it in a bubble shield. He attempted to re-create the iron-rose maiden he used to defeat Jasper, but that thing was thrashing around so much that it disrupted his concentration.

"Oh no!" he shouted when he saw cracks in his shield. In his haste, he flung the bubble towards the other side of house against the rock wall of the temple. The creature was momentarily stunned, allowing Steven the opportunity to rush down to Lion.

"C'mon buddy! I need you to wake up!" he shouted as he shook him. But to no avail.

The creature screeched in annoyance as tentacles erupted from its deformed body. That's when a terrible realization hit him.

"**No way**...you're only bad thoughts! You only exist in our minds!" he exclaimed.

But the creature didn't care about logics as it regained its bearings and rushed over to him. Taking an extremely risky chance, Steven dug his hand into Lion's mane. Thankfully the portal opened.

He pulled out his mother's sword and just as the creature jumped up to dive bomb him, he yelled, "**You can't hurt me! I'm stronger than you'll ever be!**"

As soon as the monstrosity touched the tip of Steven's blade, it exploded into millions of little dust particles. All of a sudden, his sword blazed with a white light and absorbed all of the contaminants left by the soulless creature.

Once the purification process was complete, the sword expelled a multitude of diamond-shaped fractals that disappeared into the air.

Steven was breathing heavily after everything that transpired. His arms were temporarily frozen in place as he held the sword long after the light faded away. He looked around and saw that everyone was still peacefully sleeping.

He shifted the blade into his right hand, rubbed his head and thought, _"Was that everyone else's bad thoughts?! That's what I've been **absorbing** all this time?!"_ He gently put the sword down and lifted his shirt up to examine his gem.

Nope…it was clear. If anything it was shining brighter than normal, as if his mom was congratulating him for a job well done.

He smiled at the thought as he put the sword back inside Lion's mane. _"…Yeah, could really use that shower now"_ he thought.

Before entering the bathroom, he checked the entire house to make sure that thing didn't bring any friends. Once he saw that everything was clear, he entered the washroom to cleanse his own body of all the physical evidence from the harrowing tribulation.

And yet…he couldn't help but feel satisfied. He was able to help his family remove a heavy weight from their minds, and he would gladly sing a million songs if he had to.

And he might just have to.

Words may be nothing more than puffs of air, but they can manifest into something gorgeous or something disgusting depending on if the person believes it.

Now there were two enemies to face, one a world away and another just on the tips of their tongues.

But for now, it was time to celebrate another glorious victory for the would-be king. After all, the past is history and tomorrow is a mystery. That's why today is called the present, and he refused to let uncertainties steal his gift away.

* * *

**Now that the king has returned to keep his domain safe from intruders, peace can finally take sovereign. But there will be plenty left to explain in part 5 of "Reflections and Revelations"**

**Well...I guess my idea about having Peridot being an older sister isn't too far off from the actual show, especially after watching "Catch and Release" I hope you guys like the reaction to her finding out that Steven was a diamond. Well...half diamond.**

**I know I say it every chapter, but you guys have no idea how grateful I am to every single person who reads my story. I'm touched that this story has inspired others to create their own works. All I can I say is, if you have an idea then just go for it. ******Criticism will come, but it'll help you along your journey - depending on what they say. I know it's helped me and I thank you for your reviews. Until next time!****

****Guest Max: You were right!****

****I don't own Steven Universe, Michael Jackson's music **********catalogue, Boys 2 Men ****************music **********catalogue, or Des'ree's ****************************music **********catalogue. Just my own imagination. ************ ** ****


	24. Chapter 24

**When the gems sing, listen to Michael Jackson's "You are my Life" and have a box of tissues handy.**

* * *

A new dawn bathed the serene seaside city in a golden, ethereal glow. Tranquility continued to take hold inside of the remote beach abode with no intent of letting go. Even during his body's natural resting state, the mini monarch protectively held his extended family in his capable arms. His dad and appointed confidant were still sleeping peacefully on the living room floor.

Suddenly, one of the precious gemstones emerged from the cozy blanket cocoon and levitated into the air. A silhouette of a thin frame started to take form. No one stirred from the light the lithe figure emanated, for it blended in with the natural sunshine spilling in through the uncovered windows. After a series of shifting figures, the cream-colored gem completed her regeneration process, and delicately landed on the timbered floor.

"Ahhh…" Pearl exhaled. "…Wow" was the only word she could utter in that moment. This energy. She'd never experienced anything like this during past reformations. It was…tingly yet rejuvenating.

"_What…happened? What on Earth did Ste-Steven!_"

Her internal speculation was cut short when she realized that she didn't see the one who made her feel on cloud nine. She frantically turned around and the sight before her caused a warm feeling of gratitude to course throughout her entire being.

She instantly put her hand over her steady-beating heart, completely touched by his protectiveness over the rest of their gem family while they were in their most vulnerable state. She subconsciously ran her hand over her own gem and raised her eyebrows in shock.

The texture…it didn't have that subtle coarseness caused by the many millennia of being exposed to different elements. Instead it felt brand new, all polished and smooth… like the day she was created. Pearl rubbed the fingers that made contact with her gem together…just staring at them.

"…_What kind of power did Steven awaken?" _she thought but immediately snapped out of her musings when she heard him shuffle in the bed, trying to get into a cozier position. He was sitting up against the pillows instead of lying down, almost as if he'd be ready for any possible danger. Just like when she found him leaning up against the front door the morning after he saw one of Peridot's robots in the warp stream.

"_Has he been like this all night?"_ she thought as she tip-toed over to the sleeping boy.

She adjusted his pillows and thankfully he didn't stir when she gently reclined him. She softly ruffled his hair and whispered, "Thank you Steven…if only there was something I could do for you…"

She glanced around the naturally illuminated area and her eyes instantly gravitated towards the clock. It was a quarter to nine.

"_Maybe I can get him some donuts? No, he always gets those. This has to be special…" _Then out of nowhere a stray idea entered her mind. _"Pearlcakes!"_ she exclaimed inside her head. She gleefully tip-toed down the stairs, making sure not to wake up Greg nor Lion as she went into the kitchen. As she gathered the necessary ingredients (and being extremely fortunate that Amethyst didn't inhale everything in the fridge again), a merry memory played in her mind.

* * *

Steven was about nine years old at the time and had just moved in with them. In order to prepare herself for taking care of him full-time, she started to learn all kinds of recipes. Amethyst was more than happy to be the test eater…even though she said that everything tasted gross (says the gem that likes to eat garbage and motor oil) just to rile her up and get more food from her. Eventually she got the flavors down and she was beyond thrilled to demonstrate what she learned to Steven that first morning.

"Good morning Steven!" she cheerfully sang.

"Good morning Pearl!" he tried to answer with the same amount of enthusiasm, but he was still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"What would you like for breakfast? A spinach and egg omelet? Oo! How about an over easy egg breakfast pizza? Sausage with buttermilk biscuits? Or how about-"

"Pancakes" he answered cutting her off.

"What?"

"Pancakes, please? With scrambled eggs?" he asked, remembering his manners.

Pearl slumped her shoulders in disappointment. She remembered the recipe for those flat cakes and could make'em without any issues…but they were sooo boring. She wanted to impress Steven with an extremely complicated, extravagant dish.

"_Well…if that's what he wants"_ she thought and then said, "Coming right up."

It took her about fifteen minutes to complete the dish and Steven stared with starry eyes at the fluffy tower of three pancakes that were dripping with syrup and butter.

"Thank you Pearl!" he said as he cut them into bite-sized triangles.

He put three pieces in his mouth and Pearl waited with baited breath for his response. "MMMMMMM!" was the only thing he said before he voraciously ate everything on his plate. After taking a swig of his chocolate milk he let out a hearty belch, but immediately covered his mouth and said, " 'Cuse me."

"So…did you like them?" she asked, unsure on how to take this unconventional response. "_Have we not been feeding him enough? Did the meal cause some kind of intestinal pain? What if I didn't-" _

Her worrying train of thought came to a screeching halt when he exclaimed, "They were amazing! Thanks Pearl!" He leaned over the bar counter and placed a sticky kiss on her cheek before scurrying off to the bathroom to clean himself up.

Pearl rubbed her soiled cheek. Diamonds appeared in her eyes and she sported the biggest grin she could muster. "You're welcome" she quietly said as she started to clean the dishes.

The trend continued for the next two weeks. One day when he asked for them again, Pearl jokingly said, "You know, if you keep eating them you're going to turn into one."

"But I can't help it! You make the best pancakes in the world! And they're not just any ol' pancakes, they're pearlcakes! And only I get'em because you're my Pearl" he exclaimed.

"Oh Steven…" she said as little tears started to break through. She immediately recalled how Rose would say the same thing to her.

She was brought out of her trance when Steven wrapped his chubby, yet surprisingly, strong arms around her knees. "I love you" he said looking up at her with starry eyes.

She smiled and replied, "I love you too" as she ruffled his hair.

"…Can I have some pearlcakes now?" he asked with that innocent child-like tone.

She chuckled and said, "Of course."

* * *

Pearl smiled at the long, forgotten memory as she stirred the batter. It's funny how things turn up right when you need them to…good or bad.

"_If I hadn't had that outburst with Steven…I don't think I would've been able to move forward concerning Rose. Heh, it's just like Greg said…even though Amethyst did such a horrible, almost unforgivable, thing to him, he's still grateful for it. And they're still able to be friends…even though it's not on the same level as it used to be. I know Steven said he forgave me…but what if…"_

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't notice that one of the sleeping inhabitants finally woke up.

"Grrrrroooowllll"

"AH!" Pearl almost spilled the mix when she heard Lion growl. "Lion! You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that" she chided as she put the bowl down on the kitchen counter, but the gargantuan feline merely huffed through his nose.

Then he took a big whiff of the concoction and licked his lips.

Pearl smiled and said, "Seems you like pearlcakes as well. You are really meant to be with Steven."

At the mention of his master's name, Lion's ears perked up as he looked around for his young charge.

"Lion, it's okay. He's upstairs asleep" she said. He turned around and his nerves settled down once he saw him in bed.

"Speaking of sleep, how are you feeling? Are you okay?" she asked, reaching her hand out to touch him. He leaned his forehead into her hand. His internal rumblings sent shockwaves throughout her body as she stroked his velvety fur.

"You…wouldn't happen to know what happened to us, do you?" she asked and Lion responded with a short growl. "I'll take that as a no. Well…I suppose we'll find out soon enough. I'd better get back to cooking these pearlcakes. Would like one…or possibly ten?" she asked.

Lion's rumblings put a smile on her face and she took that as a yes.

"_Better make some more batter" _she thought.

As Lion walked across the living room towards the bedroom loft, he accidentally brushed the end of his tail against Greg's nose. And that's never a good combination.

"Mmmm…nnnn….A-a-a-AAA Chooo!"

Luckily his sneeze wasn't loud enough to wake up his son, but it was enough to startle Pearl into almost dropping an insane amount of cinnamon into the mix.

"_Seriously!?"_ she thought as she turned around to see who caused the latest noise interruption.

She saw Greg stretch his arms up, but cringed when she heard what seemed like every bone in his vertebrae pop. "Greg? Are you okay?" she asked and he immediately turned to face her.

"I'm…fine. Great actually! It's been a long time since I slept so well. But…I don't remember falling asleep. Was I that tired? No…wait…Steven! Where-"

"He's upstairs sleeping. Lion's watching over him" Pearl answered.

He looked up towards the loft, and true to her word there was the giant mass of pink fur towering over the bed.

"Good…" he breathed out as he stood up and took a seat at the bar counter.

"Pearl, what happened? The last thing I remember is Steven singing…then POW! Everything just went black. And when I woke up, it felt like this huge weight was taken off of me" he asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine, and I know what you mean. I feel…lighter as well. Even though my body construct is basically made of light. Anyway, I'm sure Steven will explain what happened when he wakes up. But I know he'll be hungry; he's been gone for three days after all" she said.

Greg nodded his head and asked, "So, whatcha cookin'?"

"Pearlcakes" she responded with a smile.

He returned the gesture and said, "Been a long time since you made those."

"I know. I'm grateful that my pearlcake cooking skills didn't diminish over time."

"Why'd you stop?" he asked.

"Well…I guess it didn't seem all that necessary or important anymore. Steven can cook for himself now and his food palette has increased tremendously since he moved here. Not to mention that we're gone for long periods of time on missions…" she lamented as she took the square-shaped frying pan out of the cabinet.

"…But." he said.

"But what?" she quizzically asked.

"I don't know. It feels like you wanted to say more" he clarified.

"…I guess if this week has taught me anything is that time is precious; tomorrow is **never** guaranteed. Heh…you'd think I'd figure that out after the war. And that I shouldn't take him or anyone else for granted. I need to do things like this more often" she stated.

Greg nodded in agreement and asked, "What made you decide to do pearlcakes anyway?"

"Well, my first thought was to go get donuts, but he always eats those. Then pearlcakes popped into my head and it just felt right, y'know?"

He nodded, but something else clicked in the back of his mind. "Wait…donuts…MY VAN!" he shouted and Pearl immediately shushed him.

"What're you trying to do, wake up the whole city?!" she hissed.

"Sorry, sorry! I just remembered that the box of donuts I bought for him are still in the van! Probably all melted by now…what time is it anyway?"

"Half past nine" she answered.

"Aw man! I'm already late opening up the car wash too?! Listen, when Steven wakes up let him know that I'll be back this afternoon."

"I'm sure he'll see you sooner than that, but I'll let him know" she smiled.

"Thanks! And save me a stack of those pearlcakes please."

"I will" she assured. Greg smiled and bolted out the door.

* * *

The comforting silence within the domicile was soon replaced by the sound of sizzling butter on the hot, square skillet. "_Hmm…circles are too plain. This __**has **__to be special. Hmmm…I got it!"_

Any professional chef would be completely amazed at how she was able to make a perfect star-shaped pancake without a mold, but hey. That's Pearl for you.

As the aroma circulated throughout the house, another one of the gemstones emerged out of Steven's vigilant hold. This time the faceted purple stone rose into the air, surrounded by shifting small yet stout forms. Once the gem finished her regeneration process, she landed on the floor and stretched her arms up.

"Man, I feel PUMP-" Amethyst's exuberant outburst was cut short when she was shushed by a hissing Lion.

Pearl felt the same sentiment when she firmly whispered, "Amethyst! Keep your voice down!"

Amethyst just rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, what's up with yo…ooh" she realized when she saw Steven still sleeping. She sheepishly rubbed the back of her head and whispered, "Sorry 'bout that." Lion huffed and resumed his watch over the sleeping boy, and Pearl continued cooking.

Amethyst couldn't help but crack a smile when she finally got good look at what Steven was doing. She went to the other side of the bed and whispered into his ear, "…Thanks little man" as she delicately patted his head. Then she hopped down to the living room and took a seat at the bar counter.

"What'cha cooking, P? It smells great!" she asked.

"Pearlcakes" she answered as she flipped one into the air and caught it on a blue plate.

"Pearlcakes huh? Heh, I remember when the little guy would stuff his face with those every morning" she commented.

"He wasn't the only one" Pearl slyly said.

Amethyst couldn't help but laugh. "Yea, okay. Guilty as charged. So…can I have some too, please?"

Pearl turned around; she was slightly surprised by her use of good manners. Once the initial shock wore off, she smiled and replied "Of course you can. How many would you like?"

"Ten is good" she answered.

"_Good thing I made extra batter"_ Pearl thought, then she noticed something. "Your outfit…it's different."

"Yeah, so?" Amethyst defensively asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It looks good on you" she sincerely said with a smile.

Amethyst's attire now consisted of a black tank top, mauve leggings with black star patches over her knees and her signature white boots. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks from the compliment.

"Eh, it's nothing major. I don't know what Steven did, but it made me feel…different y'know? So I thought I'd switch it up. It just felt right" she explained.

"I know how you feel. Greg said the same thing, more or less." Pearl commented.

"Speaking of, where is he anyway?" she asked.

"He had to open the carwash. He'll be back this afternoon" she answered.

"…_That's good. I got some stuff I need to say to him"_ Amethyst thought. "…Hey P?"

"Yes? Is…everything alright?" she hesitantly asked after seeing her demeanor change from jovial to serious.

"Yea, everything's cool, just…um…"

In a sudden move, Amethyst got out of her seat, ran around the counter into the kitchen, and hugged Pearl. The abrupt contact immediately made her blush, but kindness overtook her bewilderment and she returned the embrace. After a brief moment, the two separated. Before Pearl had a chance to ask what that was all about, Amethyst explained, "That's for…everything."

Normally she would've needed clarification, but in this instance it was crystal clear. She nodded her head and they shared an emphasizing smile.

"And by the way, I'm diggin' the new colors" Amethyst added as she returned to her seat.

"Thank you" replied a blushing Pearl and she resumed cooking.

"Dang, P! You're a machine!" Amethyst praised as Pearl started flipping multiple pearlcakes and catching them on several plates. Even balancing one on her foot.

"Well, it's all thanks to precision, balance, and practice" she explained.

"Hah! Yea, especially the practice part! I remember when you first tried to impress Steven with this stunt and both of you were covered in pearlcakes!"

Pearl couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes and he was so happy that he exclaimed, "ITS AMERICAN! IT'S RAINING PANCAKES!"

"Yea…good times…" Amethyst got out as her laughter subsided.

"Well, hopefully this'll be the start of more good times to come. Would you mind waking him up?" she asked.

"You got it!"

Just as Amethyst hopped off the chair, another gem rose into the air. This time, muscular forms were shifting around the orange tetrahedron gem…right above Steven's bed!

"Shoot!" Amethyst exclaimed and Lion felt the same way as he tried to bat Jasper's gem away to a different location, but it wouldn't budge.

Soon the reformed titanic warrior landed on the bouncy mattress, nearly sending the formerly dormant hybrid straight through the roof.

"RARRRRRRR!" Jasper rapturously roared as she flexed her supercharged muscles.

"**REALLY?!**" Amethyst and Pearl exasperated. Even Lion shared the same sentiment with his deep-throated hissing.

Jasper just raised one eyebrow up in confusion. She was about to ask what was wrong with them, until a pink sphere landed on the bed. With Steven curled up inside!

"STEVEN!" she screamed. She pressed her hands and face against the barrier to get a better look.

Amethyst jumped up to his room and Pearl followed suit after making sure to turn off the stovetop.

"Steven! Are you okay?!" Pearl shrilled.

The startled lad was breathing heavily due to the unexpected wake-up call. He clutched the remaining gemstones close to his body, and shot a glance to see who or **what** was outside his shield. Once he saw four familiar faces, relief and elation put the brakes on his accelerated heart rate and he dismissed the barrier.

"STEVEN!" they exclaimed.

They were about to dog pile him in a hug, but he beat them to it when he grasped Lion and exclaimed, "Lion! You're okay!" The docile animal purred, echoing the same sentiment in his own way.

He shifted gears when he grabbed Amethyst and sang, "Amethyst back! Amethyst back!" Then he quickly jumped into Pearl's awaiting arms and cheered, "Pearl's back! Pearl's back!" And last but not least he leapt into Jasper's outstretched arms and chanted, "Jasper's back! Jasper's ba-Wh-whoa!"

Jasper let out a hearty laugh as she lifted him up in the air and did a quick spin.

"WOOOO! YEA!" he shouted before he was carefully set down.

"Steven, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean regenerate right on top of you! It was an accident!" Jasper apologized.

"It's okay. I'm just glad that I didn't have to wait two weeks for you guys to regenerate. H-How are you guys feeling? Good?" he asked.

"Better than good! We're awesome, thanks to you!" Amethyst declared as she affectionately pounced on him.

"Yes, thank you so much Steven. Not only for what you did, but for also continuing to protect us even while you were sleeping" Pearl tenderly said as she tried to stifle her happy tears. Amethyst moved out of the way so she could get another hug.

"You're welcome, but you don't need to thank me. That's just what a family do, right?"

"Right" they unanimously answered.

Now that the excitement had somewhat died down, Steven sniffed the air and asked, "What's cookin'?"

Pearl grinned and declared, "Pearlcakes!"

Galaxies appeared in Steven's wide eyes as he gasped in shock. "Really?!" he asked.

She nodded her head and he all but catapulted himself to the kitchen so he could grab a seat.

"Pearlcakes! Pearlcakes! Pearlcakes!" he chanted as he fist-pumped the air with his free arm; everybody rushed downstairs to join him. Pearl turned the stove back on and resumed her cooking duties whereas Amethyst and Jasper sat next to him; Lion laid on the floor behind them.

He carefully set the rest of his gem family on the counter in front of him and asked, "…How long do you think it'll take for the rest of them to come back? And where's dad?"

"Your father had to open the car wash. He said he'll see you this afternoon" Pearl explained.

"Yea, and don't worry squirt. They'll be back before you know it. Heck, even Pearl came back before me and **that's** saying something, considering I'm the fastest reformer alive." Amethyst said as she rubbed his head. "And hey, that just means more pearlcakes for us!"

"Amethyst…" Pearl groaned, but she brushed it off.

"So…what are pearlcakes anyway? Are we going to eat little bits of her or something?" Jasper asked pointing at Pearl.

Amethyst nearly fell out of chair because she was laughing so hard.

"No…it's baked bread. But instead of cooking it in an oven, they're made on a hot skillet" Pearl explained.

"With lots of butter and syrup! It's like a party in your mouth!" Steven added.

Jasper was still thoroughly confused, but figured if it tasted anything like a donut it couldn't be all bad…even if it came with that unfortunate and disgusting side effect. "…If you say so" she said.

That's when three plates with ten circular pearlcakes were put in front of her, Amethyst, and Lion.

"Pearl?"

"Don't worry Steven, I've got something extra special for you" Pearl assured him. With that, she turned around and grabbed a large plate with five massive star-shaped pearlcakes. They were dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

A waterfall of drool flowed out of Steven's gaping mouth when he beheld the wondrous sight before him. "Thanks Pearl!" he said before slicing and dicing the decadent delicacy.

"Amethyst! Don't drink the syrup!" Pearl scolded as she took the half empty bottle away from her.

"Then give me the chocolate sauce!" she demanded.

"Ooo! I wanff chocolate touf please!" Steven said through a stuffed mouth.

Jasper didn't even touch her plate; she was too flabbergasted and slightly put off by how the three of them were consuming their food (well…Lion got a pass since he's an animal). Their crude chewing sounds, combined with the little bits of food that were falling out of their mouths reminded her of the ravenous appetite of those slimy Novalaks from the Ordonyx system. But one thing that she did notice was Pearl's beaming face, full of pride at the joy she created with such a simple act.

"_Well…if he's enjoying it"_ she thought. She shoved a whole cake in her mouth and was surprisingly delighted by the velvety texture and the subtlety of the different flavors. "Wow!" she exclaimed and she followed their boorish eating habits.

* * *

While they were eating, another gem rose into the air. "Louf guys! **gulp** It's Peridot's gem!" Steven exclaimed as the triangular, green stone hovered into the living room.

Lion moved out of the way so she wouldn't land on him when she was done regenerating.

"At least she-"

"**Don't say it**" Jasper growled, knowing exactly how Amethyst was going to finish that sentence.

Seconds before Peridot's form could completely flesh out, Jasper got out of her seat and caught the underdeveloped gem.

When she opened her eyes, all she could see was darkness. "Wh-Wha?"

"Shhh. It's okay, I've got ya." Jasper assured before she could thrash about.

That's when Peridot realized that the darkness was caused by her long locks. "Jasper?! What-"

"I know you don't like it when you're seen without your limb enhancers" she quietly responded.

However, Steven heard her and gestured with his finger for everyone to turn around. They complied and they continued about their business.

Upon closer inspection, Peridot saw that Jasper's eyes were closed. That's when it dawned on her that she was shielding her small body from everyone's gaze with her hair. A deep blush appeared on her cheeks.

She was completely stunned. Whenever she did retreat into her gem no one, let alone Jasper, would help her reattach her mechanical limbs. They just stared and sneered as they watched her struggle to crawl over to her displaced parts, sometimes even kicking them away further out of her reach.

Those dispiriting memories were banished when she heard another familiar voice ask, "H-Hey Jasper? I have Peridot's arms and legs. D-Does she want me to help her put'em back on?"

"Y-Yes please" Peridot answered through a cracked voice, trying to stifle grateful tears.

Jasper slowly lifted her upper body up so Steven could enter underneath her hair shelter. That's when she noticed that his eyes were closed as well.

"Jasper…Steven…Thank you, but it's okay. Both of you can open your eyes. Besides, wouldn't it be kinda difficult to help me out if you two couldn't see?" she asked.

"Are you sure?" Steven asked.

"Positive" she kindly responded.

Jasper and Steven heeded her wish and opened their eyes. When he saw her tiny, amputated form, smiley faces appeared in his pupils as he cooed, "Oh my gosh! You're so cuuuute! I just wanna hug you and never let you go!"

Peridot couldn't answer, her mouth couldn't form any coherent words. But her watery pupils answered for her. Out of all the things she was called throughout her short life, **cute** wasn't one of them.

"I'm sure she'll take you up on that offer, but let's get her situated first" Jasper answered.

Peridot prepared herself for the painful, electrical jolt as they attached the metal appendages to her body. But to her surprise, there was only a barely noticeable tingling sensation.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She answered that question by grabbing him in a fierce hug and crying into his curly hair.

Pearl and Amethyst took that sound as a cue that it was okay to turn around. All they could do was smile at the sight.

A moment later she released him and said, "I-I apologize for my outburst. It's just-"

"Hey it's okay. I'm just glad you're okay. And…I cleaned your arms and legs for you. Did I…do a good job?" he asked.

Peridot examined her robotic enhancers and was astounded by the shape they were in. She could actually see her reflection in them! They were never this shiny…even when she first received them from Yellow Diamond.

"Its…it's exceptional" she finally managed to say as the shock wore off.

Steven smiled and said, "And hey, you're just in time! Pearl made pearlcakes! Do you wanna try one? They're delicious!"

Peridot quizzically looked at Pearl.

"No, they're not bits of me" she answered before she could ask.

"…I don't know. I saw the end result of digestion when Jasper went through it and it looked rather…unpleasant" she said.

"Aw c'mon, live a little! Look, all you have to do is shape shift the stomach, intestines and whatever else humans use to digest food before you eat and you're set. Plus, it helps when you drink some water afterward" Amethyst explained.

"_That would've been nice to know earlier"_ Jasper thought. Peridot was still unsure about it.

"Hey, you don't have to if you don't want to" Steven assured her.

"…No, I-I will try it. Just a **little** piece though" she emphasized.

"O-kay…if you're sure" Steven hesitantly said. He got out of her lap and cut some pieces out of his stack. Using **his** fork, he grabbed two slices that were moderately dusted with powdered sugar and a strawberry slice in the middle of'em. "Say ahhh."

Before she did as she was told, she brought up her holopad to see the components needed for digestion, then took a moment to shape shift the necessary internal parts. Unbeknownst to everyone, Jasper secretly heeded Amethyst's advice and shape shifted the inside of her body as well.

"Ahhh" she copied and Steven fed her.

Amethyst turned around when she heard Pearl gasp. That's when she saw the enormous blue blush covering her cheeks. _"…What's her problem?"_ she thought.

"…Now whaf?" she asked as the food sat on her tongue. "Now you chew and swallow. Just like Lion" Steven explained.

Peridot cringed when she looked at Lion. She was thoroughly disgusted at the creature's manner of consuming food, and his loud belch didn't help with her uneasiness about eating.

"With your mouth closed, if you want. Sorry, I didn't teach Lion manners yet" he clarified.

She slowly nodded her head and proceeded to copy the action she witnessed. Once she swallowed the mush, he asked "So…whatcha think?"

Diamonds appeared in her eyes and she asked, "…Can I have some more please?"

Steven was beaming and he replied, "Of course you can!"

Just before he could cut another piece out of his stack, Pearl interceded and said, "Steven, let me make her her own stack with her **own fork**."

"…_Oh…__**that's why**__" _Amethyst realized and she snickered to herself.

"Okay!" Steven continued to get his grub on as Jasper offered her seat to Peridot.

"But, where are you going to sit?" she asked.

"On the couch, I'm already done. Thanks for the good food" Jasper said.

"Indeed. These…flavors…I've never experienced anything like this before" Peridot asserted.

If Pearl's grin got any bigger, her face would've split in half. "You're both most welcome. Here you are!" she gleefully sang as she handed Peridot a small stack of three pearlcakes topped with strawberry slices.

As she ate, she commented, "I must say, you are truly one of kind. All the Pearls I've seen can barely hold a weapon let alone cook. Especially since you're a **fancy** Pearl."

"What?" Steven asked not catching all of what Peridot said.

"Nothing! It's nothing!" Pearl assured as she gave Peridot a semi-glare, silently telling her that she was grateful for the compliment, but to drop the subject. She got the message, even though she didn't understand what the big deal was, and continued to eat her meal.

"Man…I'm stuffed. My compliments to the chef" he exclaimed as he kissed his fingers to the air.

"Yea, P. These were off da hook!" Amethyst chimed in.

Pearl chuckled and replied, "The chef graciously accepts your complements."

"…You'll make some more for everyone else, right?" he asked.

"Of course I will" she said as she patted his head.

* * *

As soon as she took her hand off of his head, the blue, tear-drop shaped gem rose into the air. It moved near the entry way of the house and her final form bloomed rather quickly. She exhale in relief as she slightly hovered above the air. It took a moment for Lapis to steady herself on her newly regenerated legs, but it proved to be futile as Steven accidentally tackle hugged her from behind.

"Lapis! I'm sorry!" he said as he helped her up. "I was just so excited and-"

But his apology was cut off when she playfully pinned him down and tickled his sides. After a minute or so, she let up and embraced the laughing boy.

"Steven…" she quietly said.

He felt her cold tears on his shoulder and he gripped her tighter. Soon, her gem burned with the welcoming mystical light.

"Wh-What's going on?" Peridot asked.

"Shh…don't ruin the moment. We'll tell you later" Pearl whispered.

A moment later, the light faded away and the duo ended their embrace. As they stood up, Steven noticed something different.

"Lapis…did you change your outfit?" he asked.

She nodded and asked, "Do…do you like it?"

It was still the same two piece outfit, but it was a darker shade of blue…almost navy blue. And instead of having the star symbol split in half, there was no design on the top but there were little artic blue stars on the left side of her skirt. It almost looked like a trail of stardust.

"I love it!" he exclaimed as he gave her another hug. That's when another thought occurred to him.

He got out of Lapis' hold and went over to Amethyst. "You changed your outfit too! It looks cool!"

"Aw…thanks bud!" she replied as she ruffled his hair.

Then he looked at Pearl. Her tunic was more of a sky blue rather than teal and the star on her chest looked almost as big as the one on one of Steven's red shirts.

"Hmmm…a star in the sky! Like the sun!" he commented. It took a moment for Pearl to make the aesthetical and metaphorical connection, but once she got it she couldn't stop the smile from overtaking her face.

He glanced over at Peridot. "…Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't change anything" she solemnly replied.

"That's not true" he said.

"What?"

"Yea, the diamond on your chest is a lot smaller. And your hair isn't as sharp and pointy. It's more…rounded. And even a little messier too" he explained as he touched the surprisingly soft strands.

"M-messier?" she asked.

"And that's okay!" he quickly clarified. "I don't know how to explain it, but all of you guys just look more…relaxed" he said.

"I definitely feel…something" she explained to the best of her ability and Steven understood.

He went over to Lion; he was still the same lovable pink ball of fluff. Although, his fur was a lot softer than it was before.

Then he joined Jasper on the couch and the tiger-striped mentor showed him the changes she implemented.

"Cool wristbands!" he awed.

"It's actually inspired by what you taught me. 'A time to talk and a time to fight.' So every time I look at'em, I'll try to remember that" she explained as she felt the mahogany colored cloth bands.

"And the diamond's gone too" he added.

"I want nothing to do with Yellow, that's why it's gone. She nor any other **diamond** for that matter won't control me ever again. They can kick rocks for all I care!" she snarled.

"O-Oh…"

"…What's wrong?" she asked.

"…I-"

* * *

Before he had a chance to answer, the last remaining gems rose into air. However, instead of their individual forms manifesting around their respective gem, the two stones spun around together, as if they were doing a dance. Soon the red and blue gems joined together in a blinding flash of light, creating the recognizable leader.

"Garnet!" exclaimed Pearl and Amethyst as they rushed over and embraced her.

But she didn't return the gesture. She was too busy examining the gemstones embedded in her hands.

"…What…happened?" she asked.

"You got us, G. One minute Ruby and Sapphire's gems were twirlin' together in the air and then POOF! You're here" explained Amethyst.

"It's almost as if their gems were doing a fusion dance by themselves! I've never even heard of such a phenomenon occurring before! I guess it just symbolizes the indomitable strength of your relationship" Pearl surmised.

"But…we've been together for thousands of years. Why would this happen now? What changed?" As soon as she asked that, the combined memories of Ruby and Sapphire instantly remembered what had occurred and the person responsible for it.

"STEVEN!" Her outburst caused everyone to flinch, but she didn't care. The only person on her shared mind was the boy sitting directly across from her.

She observed how he was clutching Jasper's arm for protection as he apprehensively looked away from her. Just that sight alone caused tears to erupt from all three of her eyes. She wanted to unfuse; she didn't want to be viewed as a monster…an **abomination**…by the one person she loved more than anything in the world. But as some sort of cruel punishment, Ruby and Sapphire wouldn't allow her to do so.

"_C'mon. __**We**__ have to make this right"_ they internally declared.

"S-Steven" she stuttered as she cautiously walked over to him.

To everyone in the room, except for Peridot and Jasper, this was too surreal…especially for Pearl. She remembered the anxious feeling that consumed her mind when she approached Steven. Not to mention the crushing shame she felt when he brought up his shield and berated her over her sincerity. She clasped her hands over her heart and prayed, "_Please…please let this work out…" _

When Garnet sat down on the couch, Steven scooted onto Jasper's lap and clutched her arm tighter.

Jasper looked at him, then at the grief-stricken fusion. She sighed and although she **really **didn't want to, she removed her arm out of his grasp and nudged him closer to her.

He pleaded with his eyes for her not to abandon him, but she knew it had to be done.

She walked over to Peridot and crouched down against the counter wall. "_…__**This sucks**__"_ she thought as she closed her eyes.

No one said anything; Steven refused to even look at her.

"Steven…p-please forgive me" Garnet begged. "I was just so mad at what home world did t-that it caused me to lash out at e-everyone. I didn't mean to yell at you, I swear! I know you were just defending Jasper and Peridot, but I couldn't hear it. Anything t-that anyone said just came across wrong. Please believe me when I say that everything you've done has only helped us, never, **ever** hurt us."

Steven muttered something and Garnet asked, "What?"

"…I said I'm not mad" he quietly answered. "Garnet…you were really scary. I've never seen you like that before. And I thought it was my fault for making you act like that. That's why I didn't look at you and climbed on top of Jasper. I-I didn't want to do anything that would-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Garnet grabbed him and held him tight against her chest. "Steven, listen to me. **This was not your fault. **Nothing you do will** EVER **make me enter berserker mode. I'm so sorry that I scared you. Back at the cavern…I was so ashamed at what I did that I came undone."

"Really?!"

She nodded and said, "When I saw the fear in your eyes right now…it made me want to split up again. It's one thing being viewed like that by my own kind that don't understand, it's another thing to be viewed that way by someone I deeply care about. Steven…you have no idea how much you mean to me. I can't even begin to tell you how happy you made me when I saw how excited you were when you found out I was fusion."

"…Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he asked.

Garnet explained her reasoning and all Steven could say was "Oh…"

"That being said, if it'll make you feel more comfortable…I'll split apart…**for good" **she offered.

"**No**!" he shouted as he clutched her hands. "Ruby and Sapphire belong together forever! **You** belong with us forever! With me forever! So you have a temper, everyone does. I just have to learn not to take it personal unless I really screw up" he explained.

"And I have to make sure it doesn't get to that point ever again, unless something happens to **my family**" she said as she looked at everyone in the house.

Steven smiled at everyone and they returned the gesture. "So…are we cool?" he asked.

Garnet kissed him on the cheek and said, "As cool as a cookie cat."

He giggled at that and hugged her tighter. "And I forgive you" he whispered.

That caused more tears to cascade down her cheeks, more so out of her red eye. Soon, he motioned for everyone to join in on the hug fest and they enthusiastically complied. They stayed like that for a while until Steven had to break it up because he couldn't breathe from being squished so hard.

"Oh yea! Lapis? Garnet? Pearl made pearlcakes, do you want some?" he asked.

Lapis looked at Pearl to figure out why anyone would want to eat her.

"Ugh, it's not bits of me! It's circular bread!" she groaned when she saw the look in Lapis' eyes.

Garnet chuckled at that and replied, "No thank you. I'm good."

"I'm alright as well" Lapis responded.

"Oh…okay. In that case…I guess it's time for me to explain **everything **huh?" he said as he nervously rubbed the back of his head.

"What's wrong Steven?" Lapis asked.

"…I'm just a little…worried that everyone will see me differently…**and not in a good way**" he quietly said.

"What? That's crazy talk! You'll always be our little Stu-ball, and nothing will ever change that" Amethyst declared and everyone nodded in agreement.

He nodded but there was still that lingering hint of doubt in the back of his mind. "_Well…it's now or never"_ he thought. Then he said, "You guys might want to sit down, this'll take a while."

They complied. Jasper rejoined Garnet and Steven on the couch whereas everyone else sat around the living room table.

"…I don't even know where to start" he said.

"The beginning is a logical choice" Peridot suggested.

"The beginning?" As soon as she said that, a conversation replayed within his subconscious.

* * *

"_Mom, I'm ready to head back."_

"…_I know"_ Rose answered as she gave him one last hug. _"Are you sure you're okay?"_

He didn't answer right away. _"Steven?"_

"_Mom…I don't think I can keep you a secret anymore"_ he finally said.

"…_I understand. In hindsight, it was wrong of me to place that burden on you. I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be sorry! You were just trying to protect me and I'm grateful for that. But I think letting them know about you will help them move forward"_ he explained.

She gave him a kiss on the forehead and said, _"No matter what you decide, I'll support it one hundred percent."_

"_Thanks mom. I love you"_

"_I love you too sweet pea."_

They exchanged bright smiles as he began to disappear from the crystalline sanctuary. _"Please be careful!"_

"_Don't worry, I will!"_

* * *

"STEVEN!"

"Huh? Wha?"

"You kinda spaced out on us there bud. Everything okay?" asked Amethyst.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to" Lapis assured.

"No, I have to tell you guys. Just…wait until I finish to ask questions, okay?" Everyone understood and he took a deep breath.

"Well, first off I'm sorry that I didn't come back sooner. I had to go back to cave and find my guitar. That's why I was all dirty" he explained.

"If anyone should be sorry, it's us. **We're sorry Steven**. We should've said that when you first got home" Garnet said.

"It's okay" he assured. Then he sighed and began his tale.

"The night when I traded myself for Lapis and Jasper beat me up, I retreated into my gem. While I was in there…**I met my mom**."

Pearl and Amethyst were about to say something, but remembered their promise to save their questions til he was done.

Then he explained how Rose healed him, showed him all the terrors of the war she fought in, and told him about his heritage and his kin. He also told them why he didn't tell them about her earlier. Then he transitioned into how Lion took him to a special cleansing spring for diamonds because his mind was overwhelmed due to all the hurtful things everyone said to him. Then he explained what happened to him during the purification process and the black mass he had to face inside of his mind.

Everybody looked at the ground in shame.

"Guys, it's okay. Well...not okay that I went through all of that, but I'm all better now!" he said but it didn't lift their spirits up. "Really, it's okay. Turns out its one of my powers!" he explained.

"What?" they asked.

He went on to reveal that Rose, and all diamonds for that matter, have the ability to draw out and absorb feelings, and that his gem drains out negativity. Then he told them the reasons why she didn't tell them about this power.

"Also…I learned that diamonds can mind control gems…" he remorsefully said.

Jasper knew where this was going when she saw tears trickle down his face. She put her massive thumb on his left cheek to wipe some of the tears away. "Steven, don't cry. You have nothing to be sorry for. Like I told you before, **you gave me freedom.** I chose to stay with you; you're not mind-controlling me or anyone else for that matter."

"B-But you hate the diamonds! S-so I thought you'd hate me too…especially after you explained why you took the yellow diamond off your clothes" he hiccupped.

"Of course I hate them, but I don't hate **you.** You're not like Yellow and you never will be. Remember when I told you that the day you get coal is the day the sun explodes? Well, same thing here" she explained.

"I'm not sure what combustible, compressed carbon has to with anything, but she's right. It would take a major malfunction in your frontal lobe for you to be like our…former superior" Peridot added as she shape shifted the diamond off of her clothing.

"Malfunction of my what?" he asked.

"She means your mind would have to be pretty jacked up to be a jerk like Yellow Diamond" Amethyst clarified.

"Besides, you're not even a pure, home world diamond. You're a hybrid of two different species, just like I'm a hybrid of two different components" Peridot added.

Lapis got up and sat in between him and Jasper and hugged the compassionate child. "It doesn't matter what you are, I'll always love you" she quietly said.

"Yea bud! You're one of us and we'll always have your back" Amethyst declared and everyone agreed with that notion.

"Thanks guys" he smiled as he wiped away the rest of his tears.

* * *

He took another deep breath to steady himself before he continued. He told them that his mom knew about the clusters, but only about the first attempts with broken kindergarten gems - not with their former comrades. Then he went into explicit detail about Black Diamond, even drew a surprisingly decent drawing of her, the cryptic rules she came up with and the possible reason for disdain about fusing back on home world.

"That certainly explains **a lot**" Garnet bitterly said as she clenched her fists. Steven put his hands over hers and she immediately relaxed.

Steven decided to switch it up and remind them about the names they came up with before he was born and what his name meant. That got a few laughs out of them. "That's when mom told me that her body was nothing more than an illusion, that her true self is **my** **gem**."

That jogged the memory of the three original members of the crystal team and they all stared at him wide-eyed.

"T-That's why she told us n-not to worry…she was going to be here this whole time! How could I have been so blind?! I'm such an idiot!" Pearl realized as she spoke through a broken voice.

"You're not the only one P" Amethyst lamented.

"She's right. All of us focused on what we lost instead of what we **gained.** I can't believe I didn't notice it before." Garnet said as she grabbed Steven and put him on her lap. "Steven, **you are an experience!** A perfect combination of the love between Rose, Greg, and all of us."

"Just like you! Just because Ruby and Sapphire aren't here physically, they still exist within you. They wanted you to be here to experience the world just like mom wanted me to" he explained.

Garnet couldn't speak. His logic was so simple and yet so profound. She along with Amethyst and Pearl had more tears spill down their cheeks.

"S-Steven…I am so so sorry about all of this! About everything I've done and said! I-I-"

"Pearl, it's okay. You were all victims of fear voodoo" he said cutting her off.

"Fear voodoo?" they asked.

"Yea. That's what I call it when all those bad thoughts and uncertainties stab your mind with all that stinkin' thinkin'. Like little voodoo doll needles. Not only does it hurt you, it hurts those around you" he explained.

Everyone hummed in agreement and Lapis said, "Well, they're all out now, thanks to you."

Steven nodded but said, "I just wish I knew **what** I did. I don't know how this power works and neither does mom. She said that she didn't even have this ability. I mean, what even happened to you guys when I sang?"

* * *

"…For me, I experienced the discrimination I faced back on home world all over again. This…black entity was forcibly keeping Sapphire and Ruby apart. But your voice reminded me…**us**…that we had to be stronger in order to stay together. Then…it felt like there was this shield over us…protecting me…like I could stay together forever and nothing could cause me to split apart." Garnet explained.

"…I wonder if that's why there was purple on Ruby and Sapphire's gems" he speculated.

"What?" she asked.

"Yea. When you two poofed, I was looking over your gems to make sure they didn't crack and I saw that the centers of'em were purple. Like a piece of you was in them" he explained.

"…Extraordinary. Steven…I think your new ability might have caused some kind mutation within Ruby and Sapphire's gemstones. Somehow their desire to be together combined with your healing aura to develop a new trait that would allow them to find each other, even when separated. And when they're in close proximity to one another, they can fuse automatically without performing a ritual dance!" Pearl hypothesized.

"Cooool…instant fusion" Steven marveled.

Garnet grabbed him and kissed him all over his face. "Steven…thank you! I know I always say it, but you **never** cease to amaze me" she said as she held him tight.

"You're welcome! But…what about the rest of you guys?" he asked.

"…Same thing that happened to you while you were in that spring. I was surrounded by darkness and these ghastly voices kept on shouting these…horrible things and I started to believe them. But **you** pulled me through! I heard your voice and it reminded me that I wasn't a worthless prisoner. That I was important. Then…I felt this overwhelming surge of happiness. I don't know how else to explain it. But I just felt so…peaceful" Lapis explained.

"I concur with Lazuli. The pain that that black entity caused was so…real. Although they weren't physically doing anything. They were just talking. Even so, I could still feel myself short-circuiting. But the thing that saved me was this…enveloping embrace. It made my whole being feel lighter…and safer. Needless to say, I wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for you" Peridot said.

"Yeah bud, that helped me out more than you could _ever_ know" Amethyst attested.

"Jasper? Pearl?" Steven asked.

The burly and delicate gems looked at each other. "I'd rather not say. It's just…little too personal to relive. But I feel much better now, thanks to you! I mean it with all my heart!" Pearl said and Jasper nodded in agreement.

"That reminds me. Just from talking to mom, I realize that I **really **don't know anything about you guys. But…I guess that's another story for another day. I know mom wasn't all that happy about telling me things from her past…like I'd be ashamed of her or something. But I want you guys to know that I'd never be ashamed of you! In fact, I'm proud of all of you! Just the fact that you all overcame so much and now you're able to have this peace is a testament to the strength of your will" he declared.

"Proud…of me?" Perdiot asked. Then all of a sudden she started to chuckle, albeit with water drops sliding down her face.

"Peridot? What's- WHOA"

Before Steven could ask what was wrong, Peridot's floating fingers grabbed him off of Garnet's lap and brought him to her. Then she held onto him like her life depended on it.

"I-I never thought I'd hear those words…thank you Steven! Th-thank you" she choked out. Steven simply smiled and hugged her just as hard. Soon, he noticed a bright green light emanating from her gem.

"Hey Peridot, your gem is glowing!" Steven said.

She opened her eyes and beheld the green aurora she created. "…It's just like what happened with Lazuli's gem" she marveled. "What does it mean?"

"It means that you're really happy! That's what Garnet told me" he explained.

She looked over at the fused leader, but quirked her eyebrow up in confusion when she noticed the blush on her countenance.

"What? Why are you blushing? Am I doing something wrong? I don't even know what I'm doing!" she frantically asked and the glow faded away.

"No no, you're fine. I was just thinking about something else" she answered trying to dodge the question.

But Peridot wasn't having it. "What were you thinking about?" she asked.

* * *

"…_Ruby." _

"_I'm sorry! It was just so cute!" _

"_**sigh** Well it was cute, but now Peridot knows something's up. We should tell them the __**real **__reason why gems glow."_

"_But Steven's not old enough for something like that!" _

"_I think he is, given his feelings for Connie." _

"_But they're just friends!" _

"_For now…but it won't stay in that stage for much longer."_

"_Man…I don't wanna have this talk, I'm not ready." _

"_Well, he's either going to get it or not. It's a fifty/fifty shot. At least it's not a life or death situation." _

"…_Might as well be." _

"_You're so cute when you're bashful" _

"_S-Shut up Sapphy!"_

* * *

**…**

"Uh, Garnet?" Steven asked, but the stoic leader still had that far away gaze.

"You don't think my light had some sort of paralyzing effect on her do you?" Peridot worriedly asked.

"No…no that's not it." Pearl said as she tried to cover up her own developing blush. Amethyst just smiled with a big ol' Cheshire grin.

"Then what is it?!" she exasperated.

"I'll tell you." Peridot flinched when Garnet finally spoke. "While it's true that we glow when we're happy, that kind of light only occurs when another person or gem makes the one glowing happy. And if that light is reciprocated, then that is the first step of **ultimate compatibility**" she explained.

"Wow Peridot…I made you that happy?" he asked and she slowly nodded her head.

"That's awesome! That means we'll be friends forever, right?" he asked.

"Heh, by that logic I suppose so" she surmised as she hugged him again.

Garnet sighed in relief, thankful that the **true** reason went over the heads of the two youngest team members. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with Lapis and Jasper.

"So wait…does that mean what I think it means?" Lapis asked. Garnet nodded her head and she turned bluer than the night sky.

"You can't be serious! This is some kind of joke right?" Jasper hissed.

"You'll know when I'm joking" she replied.

Jasper covered her face with her hand and muttered, "Oh rock…"

"Hey, don't make it out to be something to be ashamed of. That's what home world did. We're on Earth now; their rules don't apply to us anymore. In Steven's case, his love pours out like a fountain. It's natural for him to see others happy. I mean, who wouldn't want to be around someone like him?" she asked.

Jasper and Lapis stared at the hugging duo, who were completely oblivious to their conversation.

"I'm thankful that Rose made the wise decision to let him experience everything this world has to offer, and to let us be a part of it. And besides, a relationship doesn't have to be **that** single definition. It can mean being a mentor, a doting motherly figure, or even a rough and tumble play pal. What you choose to be for him is your decision."

With that, Garnet got off the couch and joined the two younglings in their embrace. Everyone else looked at each other and got in on the tender hug as well. Soon the entire house was lit up with an array of dazzling colors.

That is until Steven gasped, "Guys…can't…breathe."

Everyone immediately separated and gave him room to breathe. "Sorry!" everybody said, but he just laughed it off.

"Don't be! It's okay! I want this to last forever. But…"

"But what Steven?" Pearl asked.

"Mom said that diamonds are linked to each other and that it wasn't a coincidence that Yellow sent you guys to check on the cluster. More gems are coming…aren't they?" he asked.

The fact that Jasper and Peridot looked at the floor gave him his answer.

"Steven. Like you said, we've already overcome so much for our right to live in peace and you showed that we can live a life without fear. It's doesn't matter how many enemies we face, we'll always protect one another. And we'll always protect **you**" Garnet declared.

"Yea, if Yellow thinks she going to hurt my little cub, she's got another thing coming" Jasper added and everyone nodded in agreement.

Steven gave a small smile and said, "Thanks guys."

"Hey, it's just what a family do" Amethyst said as she ruffled his hair.

"Oh yea! I gotta go tell dad what happened! Is it alright if I go and see him?"

"Of course" Pearl answered.

With that he quickly changed out of his banana-yellow pjs and put on his signature red shirt, jeans, and flip flops.

"But take Lion with you! And take him these as well" she said as she prepared a stack of pearlcakes. She bubbled them so they would stay nice and warm. "Greg asked me to save some for him" she explained as she handed Steven the bubbled brunch as well as the rest of the syrup.

"Thanks Pearl! Okay! C'mon Lion, let's go."

Lion yawned and stretched out his legs. Before heading out the door, he gave his companion a lick on the cheek and nuzzled against him.

"You're welcome buddy" he whispered as he softly patted his head. He put his dad's snack in his mane for safekeeping. With that duo left the house and traversed across the shimmering sand towards the car wash.

* * *

"…Man. Talk about a bombshell" Amethyst commented as she flopped on the couch.

"No kidding. Steven's powers are simply remarkable, and he **still** has so much potential. It's just like you said Garnet, he will be great leader. I never thought in a million years that a common quartz like me would be mentoring someone of his caliber, let alone still be **alive** after what I've done to him" Jasper reflected.

"I believe in this case, mentoring is a two way street" Peridot observed.

"You're right about that Peri" agreed Amethyst.

"Peri?" she repeated.

"Yea, Peri. It's a nickname. On Earth, it's a way that people show that they're cool with one another" she explained.

"Cool? Like showing how to lower one's core body temperature?" she asked.

"No no no. It's a term of endearment. A nickname signals that we like being around you" Pearl explained.

"O-Oh…" she realized as a blush crossed her features.

"I still can't believe that Rose was alive all this time…" said Pearl.

"A mother and son in one" Garnet surmised.

"I can't believe that he was able to conqueror that dark miasma **on his own!** There's no way I would've been able to do that without him…" Lapis commented.

"Yea…same here" Amethyst said.

"Alright gems!" Garnet announced as she materialized a new pair of sunglasses. Everyone gave her their attention.

"I think it's about time we show how grateful we are for everything Steven's done for us" she declared.

"But what? The things he did were extraordinary!" said Pearl.

"True, but we just need to show that we love him. He was able to do that for Lapis with a box of donuts and a song. You were able to do that just now with your pearlcakes. The gesture doesn't have to be grand or immaculate, it just needs to show that we care." Garnet explained.

"Hmm…I got it!" shouted Amethyst and she started to fill them in on her idea. "So…whatcha think?"

"…What are fireworks?" Peridot asked.

"You'll find out! I just gotta find'em first. So P? Ready to do some more baking?"

"Well, I'm not one to back down from a challenge" she smugly replied.

"Then let's get to it!" Amethyst declared as she fist-pumped the air.

"Wait! I can't sing!" Peridot exclaimed.

Garnet put her hand on her shoulder and said, "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that it comes from the heart. Steven will love it, trust me."

* * *

_**Later that day…**_

The sphere of life giving light began its slow descent below the natural horizon line. Steven and Lion were walking back home, enjoying the sherbet colored landscape.

"I'm glad dad took everything so well and that the pearlcakes were still pippin' hot. We should go into the food delivery business! Pearlcakes on Paws! Whatcha think?" Steven asked and Lion gave him a _'**really'**_ look.

"Just kidding. Besides, only me and my family gets'em. And Connie too" he declared.

"And I can't believe we're going to Whimsy World! I can't wait meet the Magic Purple Knight and get my own pair of persona glasses! I want a dragon one!"

Lion purred in response, completely overjoyed that his charge was back to normal.

"I'm really glad that Buck helped me make more shirts, and that dad liked his. Do you think they'll like them too?" he asked.

Lion gave a short growl and patted him on his head with his paw. Steven laughed as he rubbed the sand out of his hair.

"C'mon, let's hurry home. I know I stayed out a long time and they're probably worried about me. Race ya!"

With that Steven sprinted across the sand; Lion just continued his leisurely pace. It didn't take them long to reach the beach house. They were already half-way there when Steven initiated the impromptu race. When he reached the apex of the stairs, Steven looked down to see how close Lion was trailing him, but he was still on the sand…just walking.

"Awww…it's no fun if you don't even try" he whined but Lion paid him no mind.

Just because he was his master, didn't mean he'd have to do **everything** he said. Plus, it was more of a suggestion than anything else. But just to appease him a little bit, he hopped onto the house deck right next to him.

"…Showoff" he playfully said as he petted him.

Just as he was about to open the door, he saw a note attached to it. "Huh? What's this?"

He ripped the paper off and read, "Warp to Sky Spire. We'll see you at the top." Do you know what's going on?" Lion responded with a short growl, signaling a 'no'.

"Well, let's find out. Can you take me to the Sky Spire please?" he asked and Lion lowered himself so he could climb on. Once he was situated, Lion opened a portal in the air and jumped through it. The duo traversed through the psychedelic colored warp tunnel and exited near the base of the hilltop where the heaven beetle used to reside.

"Wait…why are we here? We need to be at the top" Steven corrected. At least they weren't at the **bottom** of the mountain where the warp pad was. The fuzzy confidant looked up and gave a short growl for a response.

"…You're stalling" he realized and Lion huffed in affirmation.

"So you **do** know what's going" he presumed, but Lion shook his head 'no'.

"…You just sensed that they're up there doing something" he guessed and Lion shook his head 'yes'.

Steven couldn't stop the smile from crossing his features. "_I wonder what they're doing up there?" _he thought as he began climbing up the stairs, trying to take it slow so as to give them more time. But his giddiness got the better of him and he ran up the stairs. Lion sighed, and increased his pace to keep up with him. He was curious about what the gems were up to as well.

Soon they reached the demolished temple dome.

"**Whoa…**" he awed. The damage to the ceiling that the giant bird caused actually created a picturesque sky light of the painted starry night, with the golden full moon being in the forefront. The sight was breathtaking!

But something was off. If he remembered correctly, the damaged opening was all jagged and rough. Now it looked all smooth and rounded, like someone sanded it down. Like it was supposed to be like that.

"Um…hello? Is anybody here?" Steven shouted throughout the open-air dome.

Suddenly, an array of candles fired up along the temple walls, providing some much needed illumination.

"Took you long enough!" a familiar voice sarcastically shouted. Amethyst jumped through the opening in the ceiling and touched down in front of them in dramatic fashion. Even sticking the landing no less.

"Amethyst!" Steven exclaimed as he hugged her. "What's going on?"

"Well…if I told you… I'd have to KILL YOU!" she threatened.

"WHAT?!" he screamed.

"Just kidding! Just kidding! Sorry, I couldn't resist" she laughed. She remembered how she spoke those exact same words to Greg when they first met.

"But seriously, I can't tell you. It'll ruin the surprise!" she explained.

"Surprise?!" Steven repeated as stars appeared in his eyes.

"Yep, just for you bud!" she said as she ruffled his hair. "So you two just sit over there and enjoy the show!" With that she spun dashed out the exit at the opposite end.

The duo did as they were told and sat down, with Steven leaning up against Lion's body.

A few seconds later, Pearl walked through the opposite entrance with a violin in hand. Jasper followed suit carrying a set of bongos.

Steven sported a huge grin and bounced in his seat. He could barely contain his excitement over what was about to happen.

Once the gem musicians found their spot at the left side of the summit sanctuary, Jasper began the tempo countdown. "One…two…three…four…"

They started right on cue and began playing their slow, melodic song.

"_The acoustics in here are amazing!"_ he thought as the marvelous music filled the entire pantheon.

All of a sudden, two streams of sparkling water came in through the ceiling, creating a water copy of a mirror in the air. Then out of nowhere, a powerful voice partnered with the soothing chords:

* * *

_Once all alone  
I was lost in a world of strangers  
No one to trust  
On my own, I was lonely_

* * *

"_LAPIS?!" _Steven internally gasped when the singing gem entered the arena.

His sight was redirected back to the air when a water clone of himself materialized right next to the mirror. That's when it hit him. _"This is when I freed her…"_ he realized.

He watched the scene unfold as she continued singing:

* * *

_You suddenly appeared  
It was cloudy before but now it's clear  
You took away the fear  
And you brought me back to the light_

* * *

The picture shifted from her release from the mirror, to when she fled to home world and finally to how she was a prisoner on the space ship. Steven noticed how Lapis' voice started to falter as she relived those memories, but she still kept it at such a dynamic level. He smiled as the water scene morphed into them in a tender, glowing embrace. Pearl and Jasper joined her in singing the chorus:

* * *

_You are the sun  
You make me shine  
Or more like the stars  
That twinkle at night  
You are the moon  
That glows in my heart  
You're my daytime my nighttime  
My world  
You're my life_

* * *

Just as Steven was about to applaud, Amethyst hopped through the ceiling and landed in the forefront. Jasper, while still playing her bongos, joined her to perform the second verse as a duet. Then he noticed that Lapis manipulated the water display so that there were water copies of the two singers. But both of them were in different settings. The Jasper clone was in some kind of laboratory, whereas the Amethyst clone was in the kindergarten:

* * *

_Now I'll wake up every day  
With this smile upon my face  
No more tears, no more pain  
'cause you love me  
You help me understand  
That love is the answer to all that I am  
And I'm a better gem  
Since you taught me by sharing your life_

* * *

As all of the gems sang the chorus again, Steven was amazed by how well Jasper actually harmonized with Amethyst. And how low her voice could go.

He looked back up and witnessed Jasper's clone getting shocked by some unknown gem, whereas clone Amethyst sat on her climbing rock…silently crying to the skies. Then it morphed into them being a little totem pole. Clone Jasper was smiling and had clone Amethyst on her shoulders, silently laughing in her signature way. His copy was on the top flailing his arms about in pure delight. Soon all three of the copies were glowing in their respective colors.

As soon as they finished, Jasper retook her place next to Pearl and Amethyst exited through the ceiling again.

There was a bit of a lull with just the two of them playing, so he assumed that the performance was over.

Just as he was about to try clapping again, he noticed Peridot skittishly walk into the temple with her eyes looking in every kind of direction. When her gaze fell onto his smiling face, she started back peddling towards the exit.

That is until Lapis grabbed her hand and pulled her to the front. "You can do this" she whispered before taking her place behind her.

She looked at Steven again and he mouthed, "You got this Peridot!" That gave her a slight confidence boost. She took a deep breath and sang:

* * *

_Y-you gave me strength  
When I wasn't strong  
Y-you gave me hope when all hope is lost  
You opened my eyes when I c-couldn't see  
Love was always here waiting for me_

* * *

Her singing was…**rough**…to say the least. She knew it. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the jeers from the sole member of the audience.

Instead, Steven had little suns in his eyes as he wildly clapped and cheered, "Alright Peridot! WOO HOO! YEA!"

Peridot opened her eyes when she heard the praise that he was giving her. She looked over at the other gems and they gave her encouraging smiles as well. All that positive energy filled her entire being, causing her gem to glow.

Then she observed Lapis moving her arms about, manipulating the water scene above her. She noticed that Steven was looking up with a soft smile on his face. Her gaze met the scene above her and she was completely floored by what she saw.

It was him and her in an embrace, but the thing that was missing was her robotic enhancers. Tears poured out of her eyes as she joined the rest of the gems in singing the chorus.

Just as they were about to repeat the powerful stanza, there were loud popping sounds outside the arena and Lapis dismissed her water show. Soon the night sky was lit up in an array of pyrotechnic colors.

"Fireworks!" Steven excitedly exclaimed. Even Lion was enjoying the dazzling sight as little stars manifested in his eyes as well.

As they sang the chorus for a third time, a bunch of hologram Pearls entered the pantheon and added to the intensity of the music with their own violins. Of course the real Pearl kicked it up a notch by performing an impressive solo over her self-created orchestra.

Lapis followed suit and began improving lines over the chorus with her impactful voice.

For the grand finale, when they hit that final note, multiple fireworks went off at once, creating a shimmering silhouette of everyone holding hands. And of course Steven was right there in the middle of'em. The sensational display faded away along with the music and Pearl dismissed her holographic copies.

Pearl, Lapis, Peridot and Jasper stood in front of him and took a bow. When they rose, Steven was still silent and it started to get awkward.

"…D-Did you like it?" Pearl tentatively asked. "_I knew it was over the top! What if we over-stimulated his mind?! What if-"_

Once again her worrying train of thought came to screeching halt when Steven clapped and whistled like a crazy person. He ran around them cheering their names and shouted, "THAT was the most amazing thing I've ever seen! THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH! I LOVED IT!"

Everyone released a relieving breath, completely overjoyed by his exuberant reaction.

Then a dejected thought entered his mind and abruptly stopped running. "Aw man!" he yelled.

"What? What's wrong?!" Peridot asked.

"I didn't get it on video! Why didn't I bring my phone?! Wait…I don't even have a phone!" he cried.

"Yea you do" Amethyst said walking up behind him.

"What? But how?" he asked.

"Pearl got you a new one. She couldn't fix up your old one after it experienced that…unfortunate accident" she tactfully explained.

"You video-taped it?"

"Yep, why do think I kept jumping through the ceiling? I didn't want you to see back there and ruin the second part of the surprise. Garnet recorded the part where Jasper and I sang" she explained.

"Garnet's here?! Where?!" he asked.

"Outside. She's the one who set off the fireworks" Pearl explained.

As soon as she said that, the fused leader walked in carrying something behind her back. She stopped right in front of Steven and crouched down.

"Steven. This gesture was only one of the many ways we'll show that we love you. Not only that, we're also extremely proud of you! In just two short weeks, you've unlocked amazing powers, increased our family size, and done unfathomable things. **All on your own**. The only thing I can say is…well done." With that she presented the item she was concealing behind her back.

The whole solar system appeared in Steven's eyes when he beheld the sight in front of him. "GIANT COOKIE CAT!" he exclaimed. Indeed, it was three-layer, home-made cookie cat ice cream cake. And in between each chocolate cake layer was strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream.

"Mm-hm. Pearl made this just for you" Garnet explained.

Steven grabbed the chef around her waist and said, "Thank you so much!"

"You're most welcome" she smiled as she patted his head. Garnet placed the cake over on a table.

"And we got more food outside! So let's bring it on in and get this party started!" Amethyst shouted.

"Wait…why are we having the party here instead of the beach? Not that I don't like being up here, it's amazing! I-I'm just curious" he asked.

"We wanted this experience to be only for **you.** There was a good possibility that other people might've showed up if they saw the fireworks" Garnet explained.

"Yea, you're min- **ahem** **ours** Steven. And I'm kind of possessive…I don't like anyone touching my favorite things" Peridot said while blushing.

Steven showed his signature pearly white smile, but then he remembered "Oh yea! I got something for you guys too! Wait a sec."

He went over to Lion and entered his mane. Not a moment later he came out with a stack of white t-shirts.

"These are for you!" he declared as he took one out of the pile.

When they saw the design, everyone had smiles on their faces. Except Peridot; she blankly stared at the item he held up.

"…What is it?" she confusedly asked.

"It's a t-shirt! You wear it over body, like how I am! My friend Buck helped me make'em. And it has our lucky star logo with everyone colors on it. See? There's green for you!" he excitedly pointed out.

He gave everyone a shirt and they just stared at them in amazement. "Do you like them?" he asked.

"I love it!" Lapis exclaimed as she put it on. Everyone followed suit.

"_Another gift that didn't hurt…" _Jasper thought as she ran her finger over the orange stripe inside of the star. She wiped a tear out of her eye before anyone could see.

"It's so soft" Peridot commented as the cotton clothing covered her upper body.

Steven smiled and took a quick picture of them. But Pearl suddenly took hers off.

"Pearl, is something wrong? Did I give you the wrong size?" he asked.

"No Steven, it's perfect! I just don't want it to get dirty while we're eating" she explained.

"Good point" Garnet agreed and everyone took their shirts off and handed'em back to him.

"We'll wear them tonight after we're done" Garnet assured.

"Okay!" he said.

"So…a star is **your** symbol?" Jasper asked and he nodded. "Well…in that case…"

In flash of light, Jasper created an orange star where the yellow diamond used to be. "I'd better show that I'm with the **superior diamond**" Jasper announced. Peridot followed suit and created a lime green star on her outfit.

"Cooool! Wait, I have to make it official!" he remembered.

"Make it official?" Peridot asked.

Steven grabbed their hands and in an overly dramatic kingly voice he bellowed, "Jasper. Peridot. By the powers vested in me, you are now crystal gems and a part of my family! You may now partake of…oh wait…we don't have donuts. Darn it!"

"I think pizza, pretzel chips, cake, water and cola will suffice" Garnet suggested.

"Yea! You make now partake of all those things! If you want to" he corrected.

"I can and I will!" Jasper laughed as he picked him up and put him on her shoulders. With that, everyone went outside to gather the food and begin the festivities.

The entire pantheon was filled with sounds of laughter, lively conversation, occasional singing, rapturous roars and belching, thanks to the impromptu Cola Chugging contest Steven suggested. He, Amethyst and Jasper put up a valiant effort, but none of them even came close to matching the volume Garnet belted out.

"Whoa…I think you cracked some of the walls G" Amethyst commended.

Pearl just shook her head at the graceless sounds they projected. "_Really?!"_ she exasperated.

Garnet crossed her arms over her chest and replied, "Garnet **always **wins."

The party would've continued all night, but Lapis noticed her savior in the corner sleeping on top of Lion.

"Hey guys? Look" she pointed out and everyone's heart melted at the adorable sight.

"Time to head home" Garnet quietly said as she gently picked him, and the homemade shirts, up.

Lion stirred when he felt him taken off of his body.

"Lion, time to head back" she whispered. He yawned then stood up. She slung the shirts over one shoulder and cradled him to her chest. She mounted the pink protector and ordered, "Make sure all of this gets cleaned up."

They nodded and Lion opened a warp portal as quietly as he could and they entered it.

Luckily there wasn't much to clean. Amethyst pretty much inhaled whatever was left of the buffet and Lapis used her hydrokinesis to wash the floor. All that was left to do was carry the tables and plates back to the warp pad.

"Yep…this was **definitely** a good start of more good times to come" Amethyst commented and everyone hummed in agreement as they climbed down the mountain.

* * *

_**Back at the beach house…**_

A peaceful slumber overtook the minds of all the star-shirt wearing inhabitants as they slept on the living room floor. There wasn't enough room for everybody on Steven's bed nor the ornate bed stored within Pearl's gem. Since all of them wanted to be near the precious boy, Garnet suggested that they put a bunch of soft quilts on the floor and sleep there.

Unfortunately for two of the gems, their resting state was interrupted due to a…natural occurring process.

"Jasper! Would you hurry up and get out of there!?" Peridot hissed through the bathroom door.

"Why don't you go outside like Lapis did?!" Jasper retorted.

"Are you crazy?! What if those black and white flying monsters attack me again?!" she asked.

"Just blast'em!" she countered as another gas bubble erupted within her. "_Why…why did I eat that __**whole**__ pizza? Why did it have to be so good?" _she thought as she sat on the porcelain throne. Good thing Amethyst showed her how to use it before she went to bed.

"C'mon Jasper! Hurry up! Or at least let me in!" Peridot quietly demanded.

"Well tough luck! I'm gonna be a while! Plus, I thought you didn't like seeing naked gems" she countered.

"Grrrr…you insufferable clo-ugh!" Peridot couldn't even finish her insult as the digestion process practically begged her to expel the waste.

"Hey…why are you two talking so much? I'm tryin' to sleep" Amethyst groggily asked.

"Jasper won't get out of the bathroom! And I need to go!" Peridot explained while doing a little dance.

"First come first served" Jasper said through the door, which only agitated the green gem further.

Amethyst yawned and asked, "Why don't you just go outside?"

"What's with you quartzes?! For your information, I'm a tech gem! I can't just rough it like you guys! Plus, I like my privacy!" she asserted.

"Dude…there's nobody out there" she countered.

"That may be true, but…but" She clutched her abdomen as a gas bubble popped in her stomach.

"Look, I'm just…nervous. I've never experienced anything like this before and I just want to be somewhere safe" she cried.

Jasper felt bad when she heard her say that, but she **really** wasn't in any position to move right now.

Even Amethyst's heart softened when she heard that. She offered, "How about I go outside with you? I can even show you where I go."

Peridot blushed and asked, "…Promise you won't look?"

"I promise" she assured.

With that, Peridot followed the Earth savvy gem outside.

"Right over there" said Amethyst as she pointed to a group of trees a little ways past the abandoned warehouse.

"_Finally!"_ Peridot thought as she made a beeline for the concealing foliage. She shape shifted her body to the correct form and got rid of the substance that was causing her so much pain. She got out of the natural relief spot as quickly as she entered it.

"Uh…Peridot?" Amethyst questioned as she pointed to her body.

She blushed profusely and reverted her body back to normal. At least Steven's homemade garment covered her top half. "We shall never speak of this. **Understood?**" she emphasized.

"Whatever you say…" Amethyst shrugged.

"Ugh…how can something that tastes so good make you feel so bad?" she asked as they walked along the beach.

"Well…would you change anything about what happened today?" Amethyst countered, causing the green gem to stop for a moment.

She reflected on everything that happened. The privacy that Jasper and Steven provided while attaching her robotic limbs. The overwhelming joy she experienced when her gem glowed. And the amount of amusement she got out of the Sky Spire party.

"No…I wouldn't" she concluded.

Amethyst smiled and said, "Thought so. I'm gonna guess this is the first time you've had fun."

"I've never experienced anything like…this before, so yes" she agreed.

"Well, get ready for more of it" Amethyst chuckled and Peridot smiled along with her.

Compared to all the pain and ridicule she faced back on home world, she could stomach a belly ache every now and then if it meant being a member of this family and finally getting what she always wanted.

And apparently **needed**.

Steven gave her the **acceptance** she wanted and the **love** she desperately needed.

"…_I hope his fountain never runs dry"_ she thought as she ran back to the house so she could cuddle next to him and be doused in his comforting aura.

* * *

**Nothing like a little breakfast to bring people together. Bet you can't guess what I ate that inspired the first part of this story ;). And the whole "It's American" thing is intentional. Since I couldn't articulate myself as a kid, I used to say that whenever something amazing would happen. Plus its pancakes! What's more American than that? ;)  
**

**Steven and gems are finally back on the right track in terms of their relationship, but why did he leave out _one_ crucial piece of information? And guess who comes back from their tennis tournament! Stay tuned for the finale of "Revelations and Reflections"**

**First off, I apologize for the delay. There's a crossfit event I'm doing on Nov. 1 so I've been doing a lot of training. And needless to say it's left me exhausted. **

**And I apologize for the length. I know 15,000 words is a lot for one sitting but it just kept growing. I tried not having a song in this chapter, but as soon as I heard it I couldn't help but put it in, let me know what you think.**

**Also, for anyone wondering why Steven has the power he possess, I got it off of this website: ****crystalvaultsDOTcom/crystal-encyclopedia/rose-quartz**

**Same thing for Jasper basically becoming Steven's protector: ****crystalvaultsDOTcom/crystal-encyclopedia/jasper**

**And three cheers for Lapis, Pearl, Jasper, Amethyst, and especially Peridot for the amazing concert. Bless Peridot's little heart, she really tried her best. **

**Thank you guys for being patient with me, I hope you enjoyed this latest installment! Til next time!**

**Bonus points to anyone who can tell what video games I referenced the magic purple knight from.**

**I don't own Steven Universe nor Michael Jackson's music catalogue, just my imagination.**


	25. Chapter 25

"_Talk about déjà vu all over again" _

That was the only thought that came to Connie's mind as she once again sprinted across the naturally resistant sand towards the secluded temple. She couldn't wait to tell Steven about what happened at the tennis tournament.

"_I hope he's okay. I know mom said that he just needed to ease back into physical activity…but what if he overdid it? What if he got hurt?!" _The torrent of worrisome thoughts caused her to push her legs to go faster, even though her body was still recovering from the physical toll of the competition.

"_This is nothing __**compared **__to what he went through!" _she said to herself to will her aching muscles to keep up the rapid pace.

As she approached the mountainside, she suddenly stopped when her ears picked up a barely audible tune. "_Is…is somebody playing music? No, I can't worry about that now! I have to see him! But…who else would play music out here?_"

She pondered whether or not to travel up the hilltop. Ultimately her curiosity over who the mysterious musician was won the internal debate, and she steadily climbed the slightly demolished cliff side. With each passing step, Connie realized that the music wasn't the familiar strumming of a ukulele, but of a guitar.

Her mind kept telling her that it wasn't Steven up there, but her body wouldn't listen. It was as if the simple melody was enchanting her - drawing her in. So she continued to follow the sound. She was so captivated by the alluring melody that she almost lost her footing in a humungous divot.

"_What in the world?!"_ she thought as she stomped on the filled in crater. She pushed the thought aside for now and continued her ascent. Once the top of lighthouse came into view, she noticed a familiar tuft of pink fur.

She was just about to shout out Lion's name, but the increased strumming and intensity of the improvised song halted her vocal outburst. She put her hand over her heart; it was still racing…even though walking up the hill should've greatly reduced her heart rate.

"_What…what's going on?!"_ she thought.

This indiscernible pressure upon her body…it felt as though a massive hand was pushing her down into the ground, with no intent of letting her up. Her knees gave out and she collapsed onto all fours.

"Nnnn-ghhhh!" she grunted as she gripped the grass blades.

Her whole body was cramping due to the unknown force. She tried to steady her breathing, but her frantic state of mind accelerated it with each passing second. Tears escaped through her sealed eyelids as the music reached its crescendo. The pain was becoming unbearable, so much so that her white-knuckled grip uprooted chunks of turf.

She didn't know what was going on and she couldn't even cry out for help; the sudden spasms paralyzed her vocal chords. Being in such a dire and helpless situation scared her to no end. And those fears manifested itself into a terrifying, dark miasma within her subconscious.

* * *

"_What are you doing here?! You don't belong here! You're just a pathetic human that's destined to live alone!" _the horrible voice spat_. _

"…_N-no. That's not true"_ Connie shakily countered.

"_Isn't it? Your mother and father were utterly appalled when you told them your __**little secret**__. Now they'll only see you as a freak!" _it yelled_. _

The repetition of the three chords became nothing more than white noise within the mind of the frightened girl.

"_Y-you're wrong. My parents love me. And Steven-" _

"_Steven!? He's just a feeble little mishmash of different species! At least he has his faulty magical powers going for him. But that alone can't make up for his brain dead intellect! I mean C'MON! He definitely has horrible taste in friends if he chose an introverted weirdo like __**you**__!" _the voice shrilled.

As soon those foul words erupted from the sinister void, something inside Connie's mind snapped and she went off! "_**SHUT UP**__! Steven is kindest, gentlest and most loving person I've ever met! He went out of his way to save and return a glow in the dark bracelet that I lost over a year ago! He __**sought**__ me out because he truly wanted to be my friend! And I'm grateful that he did!"_

The vile voice tried to counter her claims, but her volume increased as the magical melody shifted its chords to an upbeat, rapturous tune.

"_I've become a more confident person and I'm not afraid of sharing my feelings anymore! And it's all thanks to him! He accepted me into his universe! I've never felt stronger and I've never been loved like this before! My parents will always accept me and they'll accept him too! Because we made a promise to be __**friends forever**__, and I __**won't**__ let you get in the way!"_ she yelled.

Suddenly, the hideous entity fled from her overpowering presence, and it was replaced by a tranquil yet familiar environment. A calm wind carrying the waning notes caressed the victorious child.

"…_Thank you Steven"_ she whispered before bursting into a fit a cheerful laughter.

* * *

Back in the physical realm, the budding musician asked his confidant, "What do you think about that one?"

Lion purred softly in response. His eyes were closed and his body was spread out on the grass like smooth peanut butter. Needless to say he was in a state of pure bliss - completely overwhelmed by the mellow atmosphere his charge created with just a few strums from his handcrafted gift.

Steven smiled as he petted him. "I'm glad you liked it" he said.

He put the guitar back in his mane for safekeeping. He stood up and stretched his hands up to the sky. He took a deep inhale and released it to the wind swirling around the hilltop.

"_Wonder if the gems are done yet" _he thought as he shook his legs out to wake'em up.

"_Ooooo…pins and needles_…_better walk it out"_ he thought.

As soon as he walked around his companion's muzzle, Lion's ears immediately perked up. His eyes shot open and he was up on his feet in a flash. A menacing growl passed through his snarling fangs.

"What's wrong bud?" Steven asked as he followed his line of sight. Just slightly downhill from their location, he noticed a lump of…something on the ground.

"…_**No way"**_

Steven quickly reached into Lion's mane and pulled out his mother's sacred sabre. He unsheathed the weapon, put the scabbard back into his mane and cautiously approached the immobile figure on the ground. Once he got close enough, he instantly recognized the person lying face down on the grassy terrain.

"CONNIE?!" he exclaimed, but his outburst didn't wake her up.

He put the sword down, rushed to her side and gently turned her over. As a million worrying thoughts barreled through his mind, he didn't even notice that her smiling countenance was the perfect picture of peace.

"_What's Connie doing here? Why didn't she call? Oh right…she doesn't know I got a new phone. But why is she sleeping on the ground? And why does she have a ban-aid on her forehead? …Did my music knock her out? Wait…then that means…oh no…"_

When that awful realization crossed his mind, Lion let out his equivalent of a shriek. Steven turned around in time to witness him do a complete one-eighty slightly above the ground and land on his feet. He bared his razor-sharp teeth as the hairs on his back stood on edge, creating a little ridge.

Before Steven could even ask what was wrong, a small, sludge-covered creature shot up into the air. It had the appearance of a tarantula, but its legs formed makeshift bat wings. It opened its five blood-red, beady little eyes and spotted the startled duo underneath it.

"SCRREEEEE" it bellowed through its fanged mouth, which would've been intimidating if it didn't sound like a squeaky toy.

Steven almost laughed at the sound it made, but remembered to stay focused. Just because it was the size of a lime didn't mean it still wasn't dangerous.

Lion countered its call with his own powerful, supersonic roar…but it had no effect! If anything, it further agitated the already hostile entity. It climbed higher into the air then suddenly dived-bombed straight at the perturbed feline. Lion unsheathed his claws, ready to slash the annoying little pest to shreds once it was low enough.

But Steven shouted, "NO LION! DON'T TOUCH IT!"

Lion heeded his master's order and ducked in time to dodge the onslaught. Unfortunately, it didn't stop the little ruffian from whizzing around Lion's head like a bothersome mosquito.

"HEY! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" The mini terrorizer stopped attacking Lion when it heard Steven yell.

It let loose another squeaky battle cry before speeding towards him! Steven quickly grabbed his mother's sword and just like a moth to a flame, it instantly headed towards the crystalline weapon. Just like its slimy, slytherin brethren, the small yet surprisingly nimble creature burst into tiny pieces the moment it made contact with the blade. The particles were readily absorbed by the glowing sabre and were replaced by shimmering diamond-shaped fractals.

Steven was breathing heavily due to the impromptu mini boss battle. He ran over to his distraught companion and asked, "Lion, are you okay?! Did that thing hurt you?"

The ridge on Lion's back slowly receded as he nuzzled against Steven's head, signaling that he was okay. But he suddenly stopped his intimate caresses and roared at him.

"…Yea…I guess I have some explaining to do huh?" he sheepishly guessed.

Lion glowered at him as he huffed through his nose.

"Well…y'see"

"Mmmmm-nnnnn"

* * *

His attempt at an explanation was cut off when he heard Connie stirring. He swiftly took the scabbard out of Lion's mane, sheathed the sword, and put it back. He ran over and knelt beside her just as she opened her eyes.

"C-Connie?" he whispered.

"…Steven?" she asked as her eyes finally focused on the darling boy above her.

"Yea, it's me. A-Are you okay?" he asked.

For a response, he got her sweet laughter. Steven started chuckling along with her, thrilled that she wasn't seriously injured…well minus the bandage on the left side of her forehead. He helped her stand up. Once she was stable on her own legs, she grabbed him in a tight hug and gave him a big ol' smooch…**right on his lips**!

Steven stared at her wide-eyed as a crimson blush enveloped his entire face. It took Connie a moment to realize what she had done, but once she did, her eyes were the same size as Steven's. She quickly ended the spontaneous gesture and backed away.

"I-I'm sorry! I was just so happy to see you and…and…oh my gosh I'm such an idiot!" she stammered as she covered her blushing face with her hands.

Steven just stared at her, completely speechless. The tingling sensation on his lips sent shockwaves throughout his body – like if he had eaten three pouches of strawberry pop rocks.

Soon his gaping mouth morphed into a big grin. "_Wow…"_ he thought.

When Connie saw his giddy countenance, she couldn't help but smile along with him. Soon, the embarrassment became nothing more than a fleeting memory, replaced by the jubilant energy coursing through the two children.

"I-It's okay" Steven finally managed to say. "I'm just glad you're okay. I found you on the ground and you were knocked out" he explained.

That's when her smile disappeared when she remembered those sinister voices in her head, and the tender hug that enveloped her when the vile entity fled from her presence.

"I…I remember hearing this beautiful music, then my body started hurting. Then the voices and…wait…were you playing the song? Did you cause whatever happened?" she finally asked while trying to connect the dots.

"Yea…it's a long story. And I mean **super long.** But what happened to you?" he asked pointing to her forehead. "Did I…do that?"

"This? No no you didn't do anything! I got this while I was at my tennis tournament" she explained.

"Oh, that's right! Your mom told me about that when she gave me a checkup. How did it go? Did you use the overhead death strike?" he asked.

Connie couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm over such a trivial thing like a tennis tournament. But that's what made Steven Steven, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Alright, I'll tell you what happened and you'll tell me what's been going on while I was away, deal?"

"Deal" he replied. "But do you want something to eat? I have some snacks inside of Lion" he offered.

Connie nodded her head and the two of them walked back to where Steven previously sat. Lion laid down behind them; not only so he could get some rest from the unexpected scuffle, but so he could also serve as a body pillow for the two of them.

Steven reached in his mane and pulled out two fresh golden delicious apples and two boxes of durian juice. "Here you go. Sorry…I know it's not cheese puffs or anything like that. Your mom said I needed to eat healthier foods and Pearl kinda agreed with her" he explained.

"That's okay, thank you" Connie replied as she took the snack. "Y'know…you could tell Pearl it was more of a **suggestion** instead of an actual command" she explained as she took a few sips from her juice.

"…Huh. Nevah would'ff thought of it like thaff" he said through his stuffed mouth.

"I know my loop holes" she smugly commented.

"**gulp** Cool! Now c'mon! Tell me about the tournament!" he excitedly begged.

"Alright, alright" she chuckled. She set her half eaten snack down and stood up.

"Ahem"

Just like an expert storyteller creating fantastical images with her words, she began her tale:

* * *

"There I was, at the final match. The other competitors didn't even come close to matching my skill set. You should've seen it! I blasted that ball with such ferocity that some of them swore that the ball was on fire!"

"Whoooooa…" Steven marveled, completely engrossed in her story…even if it was _slightly exaggerated._

"As I walked through the tunnel towards center court, I won't lie…I had little butterflies in my stomach. Under the bright spotlights lights on a moonless night with thousands of people in the stands was enough to rattle me just a teeny bit. But I took a deep breath and steadied my jittery nerves before entering the arena to face my opponent."

"Her name was Venus King. She has the same skin tone and hair color as me, but she was about three inches taller and her arms were a lot more muscular. Her hair was braided with green and white beads. She was the top amateur prospect; in fact she was going to turn pro in two years!"

"Was she a mean jerk?" he asked.

"No, she was actually really nice. But the kids that faced her told me she turned into a completely different person whenever she played. Razor sharp focus, increased tenacity…it was almost like a bestial metamorphosis" she explained.

"So…like a tennis gem monster?" he asked.

"In a way, yes. So needless to say, I was the underdog in the match. But hey, I was already an underdog coming into the tournament and I proved everyone wrong! So I was excited to prove them wrong again!" she declared.

"YEA!" Steven cheered, feeding off of her competitive energy.

"Both of us approached the net and shook hands, signaling friendly comradery and ultimate sportsmanship. I won the coin toss so I was able to serve first. I put everything I had when I smashed the ball over the net. I wanted to set the tone, letting her know that I meant business. I was sure that it was going to be an ace."

"What's an ace?" he interrupted.

"An ace is when a person can't hit a ball that is served to them on the first shot" she explained. "Sorry, I forgot you're not familiar with tennis terms."

"It's okay. Sorry for interrupting, I'll save my questions for later" he said.

"You don't have to do that. It's important that an author doesn't confuse the audience" Connie assured.

"But I don't want to mess up your story's funky flow!" he asserted.

She chuckled and said, "Well, then I'll just switch it up!"

* * *

"Venus was able to counter my supersonic smash. When I parried it, it felt like she hit the ball with double the force! I had to hold onto my racket with an iron grip so the ball wouldn't knock it out of my hand! Back and forth we went. My backhand to her forehand, my fast paced power shot to her slow paced slice shot."

Steven was completely captivated by how she recreated her shots. It was like watching a dancer practicing their moves, so fluid yet spontaneously in control.

"It took three minutes for the first point to be won, and unfortunately it was by her."

"Is three minutes long?" he asked.

"In a tennis match, three minutes feels like an hour. I was able to win points in my earlier matches in twenty seconds tops. My coach always taught me, "_Get in, get out, and move onto the next one"_. All that running around and arm swinging will wear a person out."

"That's what Venus was trying to do to me; that's how she won all of her matches. She gets her opponents to play her style and pace, then takes advantage of'em when they're tired out. And for a while…I fell into her trap. I was trying so hard to beat her at her own game that I completely lost sight of who I was as a player; what had gotten me to the championship in the first place."

"My energy was nearly drained when we took our first time break; she was leading the first set four points to three. I don't know how I even managed to keep it close, but I knew that if I didn't start mounting a comeback, I would lose for sure. After the time break was over, it was her turn to serve first. But I was still a little out of it. Then **WHAM!**" Connie extenuated by slapping her hands together. It caused Steven to jump a little, but Lion was un-phased.

"I let my guard down for one second and I got hit in the head with a ball going eighty-five miles an hour."

"Ouch!" Steven grimaced.

"Yea, but she didn't do it on purpose. I just wasn't paying attention because I was tired. Surprisingly I didn't black out, but my vision was blurry for a little bit. Then my mom, dad and coach rushed out onto the court. Mom pushed the medical staff out of the way so she could check me out herself. She nearly fainted when saw the damage. When I felt it myself, I was equally shocked at how big the bump was."

"But…I thought your mom was used to seeing that kind of stuff" he said.

"I guess it's one thing to see it on another person, but it's another thing when it happens to your own child" she surmised.

Steven nodded in agreement.

"Needless to say my mom wanted to cancel the match. Not only did she think I suffered a concussion, but the force of the hit **knocked my glasses off.** When she picked up the frames, she **finally **noticed that they didn't have lenses. Then I told her that I could see just fine without them. Of course she thought I was delusional."

* * *

"_Connie Abi __Maheswaran, this is not up for discussion! You most likely suffered a grade two concussion! If you go back out there and get hit again, you could suffer permanent brain damage!" _

"_Then Steven can heal me just like he healed my eyes! This bump on my head is __**nothing**__ compared to what he went through! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be alive right now. You have no idea how many times he has protected me, when he didn't have to. He never gives up, no matter if the odds are against him. I'm not going to let this injury stop me from trying to win a championship and you're not going to stop me either!"_

* * *

"…You really told her that?" he asked.

"Yea. Steven, **you inspire me. **Whenever times got tough in the tournament, I'd just think of how you always gave it your all and it gave me the strength to go on" Connie quietly said while avoiding direct eye contact with Steven.

"…So…yea…mom and dad were shocked by my outburst. Then my coach stepped in and said, "_Y'know…the greatest regret of any athlete is __**not even having the opportunity to try.**__ It's plain as day that the fire has been re-ignited inside of her. Let's see what she can do. If it gets dicey, then we'll take her out. Whaddya say?"_

"Mom and dad looked at each other, then dad put his hand on my shoulder and said, _"Go get'em Connie, but __**please**__ be careful."_ Mom smiled, but I could tell that she still didn't want me to play. So after a two minute emergency break, I went back onto the court and they went back to their seats.

"_Don't you dare hold back!"_ I yelled to Venus.

"_Wasn't planning on it"_ she replied.

"When she served the ball, I smashed it back and she couldn't counter it! She was playing my style now. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like that hit to my head triggered this untapped power inside of me. It almost felt like you were **with me**" she explained.

"Like…if we were fused?" he asked.

"Exactly! I was moving faster and it felt like I had Lion's strength! I was matching her shots, even doing between the leg shots. She just couldn't keep up! For the final point, for the Sussex County Championship, I served up a one-hundred mile an hour heater! Venus could barely hold onto her racket as she sent it back to me. But she knocked it back slow and high, which is the absolute worst thing to do in a tennis match. So…guess what I ended the match with?"

Both of them beamed and simultaneously shouted, "OVER HEAD DEATH STRIKE!" while laughing after their outburst.

"Yep! I won in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-3! Everyone in the stands gave Venus and me a standing ovation for a match well-played.

"When we shook hands again, she told me, _'Sorry about hitting you in the head. But I gotta say, you sure are crazy tough for playing through it. Good game, but I'll get you next time.' _

'_We'll see'_ I replied and she left the stadium, leaving me alone to bask in the praise of everyone in attendance.

"Mom, dad, and my coach rushed out of the stands and gave me lots of hugs…well mom was still checking me out to make sure I wouldn't pass out from overexertion. Here, let me show you a picture of the trophy presentation!"

Connie reached into the front pocket of her overalls and took out a photo with her and Venus standing next to each other; Connie had the brightest smile while she was holding her gold trophy and bouquet of white roses.

"Whoa…cool trophy!" Steven awed.

"Yea! I like it because it looks like a tennis ball surround by swirling flames. Just like my serve!" she commented.

"Congratulations! I'm so proud of you!" Steven praised as he handed the photo back to her.

"…I can't take all the credit" she said.

"What do mean? You're the one who beat her" he said.

"Yes, but I didn't do it alone. My coach taught me everything that I know. And like I said, you were there with me too. In spirit anyway" she clarified. "That's why I wanted to give you this."

She dug in her side pocket and pulled out a gold medal attached to a red lanyard. Steven took the medallion; it had the same design as the trophy, but underneath the logo, UNIVERSE was written in old English font.

"When it was time to etch the last names, I asked my mom and dad if it was okay to put my name on the trophy and yours on the medal. And they said yes!" she explained.

Steven quizzically stared at the molded metal in his hand. "But…I-I didn't…"

"**But you did! **Steven…you have no idea what it means to me to be your friend. You're like a **flame!** I know it sounds cheesy, but you really are! You make everything brighter just by being you! I never would've become the person I am right now if it wasn't for you. As far as I'm concerned, every victory I get, you get it too! So, I'm giving you this medal and there are no exchanges and no returns!" she stated.

Steven smiled and conceded, "…Thank you Connie. I'm **really** glad you're my friend too."

Connie nodded, then said "Sorry again about the kiss. I…I don't know what came over me. I mean like I said I was happy and all, but I don't know. I guess what I'm trying to say is...w-will that make things weird between us?"

Steven raised one eyebrow up and said, "Why would it? Dad, Garnet, Pearl and Lapis kiss me all the time. Sometimes Lion does too. Kissing is just another way that people show that they care about each other, right?"

Connie smiled and replied, "You're **absolutely** right."

He smiled at that, then remembered, "So… did you tell your parents more about how I healed your eyes?"

"Yea. When we got back to the hotel, I gave them more details. They weren't too happy that I drank some of your spit. Something about 'indirect kissing' or something like that. Anyway, dad was actually thrilled that he didn't have to deal with those optometrist bills anymore. Mom said that she might even need you on call at the hospital for extreme cases, but for the most part to stay away or else she'd be out of a job."

"Why would she be out of a job?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it. But the thing that upset them the most was the fact that I felt like I had to lie to them…that I couldn't trust them with all of this. They said they didn't mean to be so strict, that they were only trying to protect me. I understand that now. So they promised to pull back on the rules and to be more accepting of my choices in life…to some extent" she finished.

"Did you tell them about Stevonnie?" he asked.

"No. That'll be for another day. My mom is still trying to get over the fact that you have a lion for a pet. But when I tell her…will you be there with me?" Connie asked.

"Of course I will!" Steven exclaimed.

"Thanks" she replied with a smile and he nodded.

But his giddy aura shifted to a serious and somewhat apprehensive one as he sighed.

"Steven? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yea, I'm fine" he answered as he stared at the ground. "I guess it's time for me to tell my story."

"You don't have-"

"Yes I do" he said cutting her off.

"Just…just promise me you won't freak out" and Connie nodded her head as she sat down directly across from him. She grabbed her half-finished meal and Steven articulated his life changing saga.

* * *

"The night when Jasper beat me up, I retreated into my gem. While I was in there…**I met my mom**."

"Really?!" Connie exclaimed and he nodded his head.

"Garnet said that I was an experience, just like her and Stevonnie. I'm the combination of the love between mom, dad, and the gems" he explained.

"Wow…that's so amazing! What's she like?" she asked.

With a big smile Steven said, "She's wonderful! She looks just like the picture hanging up in my room. We even share the same laugh! And she's the one who created Lion for me. She wanted me to have a powerful protector with approachable fluffiness to guide me and provide me with knowledge. She's also like to talk a lot about mushy stuff. Heh, guess I know why I like schmaltz so much."

Connie giggled at that as he continued. "She gives the biggest, squishiest hugs and plenty of kisses. When I saw her…it felt…normal."

"What do you mean?" Connie asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I know I have dad and the gems and they love me, but it always felt like something was **missing**. And…I know it's bad and I hope you don't think less of me, but I was kinda…**jealous** of you. Even though your mom is kinda strict, you still **have one **and she loves you" he said while avoiding eye contact.

"Oh Steven, of course I don't think less of you. I'm should be the one feeling bad. All this time I've been saying "My mom this" or "My mom that" not even considering your feelings. I'm sorry" Connie lamented.

"It's okay. Now that I know that my mom is with me, I feel complete" he happily said. "Oh yea! She also says that we look absolutely adorable when we're fused!"

Connie blushed when he said that.

Then he transitioned into his heritage. "You're a king?!" she shouted, nearly spitting her juice out.

Steven meekly nodded his head and she said, ""Wow…I knew you had some kind of magical destiny!"

"You're…you're not scared of me?" he asked.

"What?! No, of course not! Why would I be?" she asked.

"I-I thought you would be since I'm a diamond…well, half-diamond. And diamonds are bad…or at least really misguided, and"

"Steven" Connie said cutting him off. "Just because they're bad doesn't mean that you're going to be. Your mom saw what her family was doing was wrong and she changed. **You're not a tyrannical overlord and you never will be**. If anything, the world would be a better place if you were ruling it."

"Thanks…but what's a tyransickle overlard?" he asked trying to mimic what she said.

"Tyrannical overlord. It means a horrible, killing ruler. Sorry, I like reading the dictionary" she said.

"Don't be. I need to get me a new one so I can learn more cool words like that. I think Amethyst ate my old one." he said.

"_Talk about eating your words" _she thought. Then she commented, "I think your vocabulary is perfect." He smiled at that.

Then he shifted the story to the shopping trip, the new shirt he created and how he felt that everyone deserved to be loved, including Jasper. "That's why I **released her**" he explained.

Connie furrowed her eyebrows in rage and confused frown simultaneously appeared on her face.

Before she had a chance to voice her opinion on such an asinine act, Steven held his hands up and pleaded, "Wait! Before you say anything, just hear me out!"

She sighed and allowed him to explain himself. He told her about the battle between copy Rose and Jasper, her backstory, how he's her little tiger cub and the training they've been doing.

Just like when he told the story to his dad, Connie's opinion on Jasper changed…but only a **tiny bit**. "_Unbelievable. Only Steven could pull off something like that. And that also explains the hole in the ground" _she thought.

Then he went onto what Pearl **said** about him.

At that point, Connie stood up and was about to run down the mountain and give the gems a piece of her mind.

But Steven reminded her, "Connie…please. You promised."

She irritably huffed through her clenched teeth. She sat back down, crossed her arms and hissed, "**I'm. Not. Freaking. Out. I'm fine…"**

Steven hesitantly took her word for it and continued his narration. He told her about the "hard hands, soft hands" analogy his dad used, the reconciliation, and Jasper's half-baked plan to talk to Peridot.

If steam could really erupt from the top of a person's head, Connie would've had that and lava spewing from her ears as well.

Then he transitioned into how he confronted Peridot, her backstory, and how she went against Yellow Diamond to join them as well. For the climax, he finally reached the part about how they went into the cavern underneath the kindergarten (he gave a brief explanation about how the area was used for growing gems) and encountered the cluster experiments.

Connie's gaping mouth clearly showed how surprised and appalled she was at how Yellow Diamond could do **that** to her own kind.

Next he told her about what Garnet said to him, her going into berserker mode, and Lapis morphing into a ferocious water creature out of fear. Soon he reached the end of that saga by articulating how he managed to calm everyone, gem and cluster alike, down by singing but in turn, his sanity was shattered.

"…No way" she managed to breathe out. She couldn't believe it… it's unfathomable that he's even sitting here across from her.

"It's gets better" he said trying to lighten the mood. Connie nodded and continued listening.

* * *

He explained how Lion took him to a special cleansing spring for diamonds, because his mind was overwhelmed due to all the hurtful things everyone said to him. Then he explained what happened to him during the purification process and the black mass he had to face inside of his mind.

"That's exactly what I went through! But just like the tennis tournament, I could feel you with me and I was able to get rid of those horrible voices. Then…I was standing in front your house" she explained.

"Really?!" he asked.

"Yea…I guess just like how your mom's crystal palace is where you feel safe…I feel safe when I'm at your place" she said. "_With you"_ she thought as another blushed crossed her features.

Steven smiled at that and carried on with his story. He went on to reveal that all diamonds have the ability to draw out and absorb feelings, to the point of mind control, and that his gem drains out negativity.

"Wow…but what happens when you're full? Do you go to the spring again?" she asked.

Steven remained quiet.

"Steven? What's wrong?"

"…I don't need to go to the spring. Well…not anymore. In a way, **I am the spring**. I found out that whatever negative energy I absorb, it transforms into these black, sludge-covered monsters. And I guess it gets bigger the more I absorb at one time" he finally explained.

"Wait…so that means"

"Yep, **I fight your negative feelings**. I don't know how, but mom's sword absorbs it as soon as they touch it. Your thoughts looked like a tarantula bat, but it sounded like a squeaky toy. It was kinda funny" he tried to joke but Connie wasn't having it.

"Do the gems know?!" she asked and he shook his head no.

"Why didn't you tell them?!" she shouted.

"Because I don't want to feel weak again!" he shouted back.

The air was still around the trio.

"What do you mean?" she calmly asked.

Tears were flowing down Steven's cheeks at this point. **He's **the one supposed to be getting rid of negative emotions. He's not supposed to **even** let stinkin' thinkin' enter his mind and yet here he was. Feeling bad about himself.

"R-Remember after I threw up, I s-said I wished I was stronger. Now I finally am. I'm helping the gems with knowledge I didn't even knew I had, discovering new powers and abilities, using words that I've never used before, and putting things together that're simple to me but almost profound to them. I-I don't want to lose that" he explained through a cracked voice.

Connie put her hand over his knee and said, "Steven…I get what you're saying, but that's the **most foolish** thing I've ever heard! So you want to protect the gems from their negative feelings, but what if something happens to you when you're fighting them? How will they feel then?"

"It's better than having them **fake** happiness just for my sake" he bitterly said, not liking the harsh truth she was speaking.

"…They may do that, they may not. I'm going with the latter on this one. Based on what I've seen and what you've told me, **none** of them hide their true feelings very well…except maybe Garnet."

"Steven, **you have to tell them.** You said that your mom was a crutch for them. If you fight these things on your own without giving them the chance to learn how to deal with these negative feelings on their own, you're basically becoming the same thing."

"There's an old saying: 'give a man a fish and you feed him for a day**; **teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime**.**' It means that if do something for someone repeatedly, it's only a short term solution. You need to **teach** them how so they can survive on their own, that's the long term solution. **That** power should only be used as a last resort" she explained.

Steven nodded his head and wiped away some of his tears. "…You're right. I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just…the gems rely on me a lot more now. I guess I didn't want to let them down. **I was afraid that plain ol' Steven wouldn't be enough for them anymore**" he dejectedly said as he looked at the ground.

* * *

Connie was quiet for a moment, then said, "Well…I became friends with plain ol' Steven."

Steven slowly looked back up at her as she continued.

"Plain ol' Steven was willing to run away with me after dinner so I wouldn't have to worry about anything. Plain ol' Steven was kind enough to allow me into his mother's room so I could re-create an ending for a book, even though he liked it. Plain ol' Steven lets me have fun like a regular kid by letting me watch Under the Knife and play video games."

Steven's eyes started to light up as Connie continued her list.

"Plain ol' Steven got me out of my shy shell and danced with me. A plain ol' Steven fused with me, another human! Something that's never been done before! Plain ol' Steven was able to tame a ferocious lion and make him his pet!"

Lion huffed through his nose at that statement.

"Sorry…I mean best friend" she corrected.

Lion gave a sharp nod and resumed chilling.

"Plain ol' Steven was able to return the ocean to the Earth. Plain ol' Steven was able to save his family from a space prison and protect them as they fell from the sky. Plain ol' Steven was brave enough to trade his life for Lapis and in turn defeat Jasper. Then plain ol' Steven turns around and changes Jasper's heart; now you're her little cub! Plain ol' Steven showed compassion to Peridot by bringing back her arm and helping her see that she wasn't worthless. Plain ol' Steven stopped an army of mutant gems by playing a song! Do you hear how crazy awesome that sounds?!"

Steven couldn't help but smile by how impressed Connie was at the feat.

"Plain ol' Steven was able to get rid of dark thoughts in both gems and humans without breaking a sweat! Even after all that, plain ol' Steven will still watch the snow fall with me.

"Steven…it's natural that a person matures after experiencing things. Of course, you've experienced stuff that should only exist in the next saga of the Spirit Morph series. Anyway, it doesn't matter if you're Zen Steven, Playful Steven, Knucklehead Steven"

"Hey!" he playfully chided.

"Or even **King Steven**, you're still you. All those parts make up your perfect puzzle. Sometimes one piece will be needed over another, but that doesn't mean that other parts are less important or should be forgotten. If any of them are missing…then I won't have my friend whom I've grown so very fond of. So…can you make me another promise? Promise me you won't change?" she asked as she extended her pinky out.

Steven smiled as more tears pricked through his starry eyes.

"Heh…you're tapping into your Zen Connie now huh?" he joked and Connie merely smiled and nodded.

He grabbed her pinky with his and added another part to the pact, "I promise. But promise me you won't change either?"

"Well…there are no take backs" she said and Steven let out a hearty laugh.

Then he pulled her in for a tight hug. "Thanks Connie…I **really** needed to hear that" he said through a cracked voice.

Connie had little tears in her eyes as well as she patted his back. After a moment, they ended the embrace. Both of stared into each others' watery eyes and all they could do was laugh.

That's when Steven realized something, **even encouragers need encouragement.**

* * *

With newfound confidence he said, "Alright, now where was I? Oh yea!"

He went into detail about his mom's knowledge about the clusters, **Black Diamond **and why fusion was frowned upon on home world. Then he shifted gears and told her some of the names Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl came up with before he was born and why his mom chose Steven. For the finale, he explained what he did to the gems, the similar explanation he had with them, the party they threw for him and the t-shirts he gave them. He even showed her the video.

"Wow, they really went all out" she commented.

"Yea, it was amazing! Even Lion was into it!" he said.

"I'm just glad you got a new phone" she said.

"Yea, but the bad thing is all of our pictures are gone" he sighed.

"That's okay. We can always take more. Let's start now!" With that, she sat next to him and held his phone out for a selfie.

"Say cheese" she said and they sported their biggest grins.

After the flash, they looked at the image on the screen. "Looks good!" he commented and she nodded in agreement.

As he put his phone back in his pocket, he said. "…Hey Connie? Thanks for listening to…**everything.** I know it's a lot to take in."

"Steven, I meant what I said when I wanted to be a part of your universe. Listening is the least I can do. So don't be afraid to share whatever is on your mind" Connie assured and he nodded.

"So…where are the gems now?" she asked.

"They're in the temple building new rooms for Peridot and Jasper. I came out here to practice my guitar until they were done" he explained.

"What song were you playing? It was beautiful" she praised.

"I don't know, I just made it up. But I'm glad you liked it. Maybe you can help me come up with some lyrics for it" he offered.

"Maybe. I mean, I can do little made-up ditties on my violin, but lyrics? That's more of your expertise" she said.

"Naw, I'm sure you can come up with a few lines. Just gotta feel that funky flow!" he extenuated by waving his arms like a snake.

Connie laughed at that, but her merry outburst soon faded away when she heard him sigh. "What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about the clusters. Different parts of different gems all trapped together like that, scared and confused. I told them I would help them, but I don't know how. I don't even know what home world did to even make'em that way" he dejectedly said.

"Well, for normal gems to be made, the right minerals have to be trapped in the Earth's crust because it takes a long time and a lot of pressure to get the components to fuse. They get inside the crust through many different ways, like being made by magma or being dissolved by water. I'm guessing being stuck together underneath the Earth's crust for such a long period of time did that to the shards as well" Connie explained.

"Wow Connie…you sure are smart" he marveled.

She blushed and replied, "I-I've been doing a lot of reading on gems since I met you. Did you know that Rose Quartz is known as a stone of unconditional love?"

"Really?! That's awesome!" he exclaimed.

"Yea, and I think fits your personality to a T" she said.

Steven nodded, then said "I wish my music could un-separate them somehow."

That's when a lightbulb went off in Connie's head. "Laser surgery!" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"Yea! My mom does it all the time! Lasers are used to cut away tumors and other bad things out of people. Maybe we could use the lasers that they use for cutting gems for jewelry and use'em on the clusters! And your music could be used as a sedative to keep'em calm so they don't feel anything!" she happily explained.

Galaxies appeared in Steven's eyes as he grabbed Connie in a tight hug. "That's a fantastic idea! Forget being just smart, you're a **genius!**" he proclaimed.

"No, I'm just like you. I just used my experiences and put simple things together to get a solution" she said and he hummed in agreement.

"C'mon! Let's see if the gems are done with the new rooms! I can't wait for them to hear your idea!" Steven excitedly said as he quickly pulled her up. However, the fast action caused Connie to groan and rub the injured area on her forehead.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" he panicked.

"It's okay. I just have to take it easy. Turns out I **did** suffer a concussion, so I get dizzy if I do things too fast" she explained.

"Oh…oh right! Here, m-may I?" he asked as he reached for the bandage.

She leaned in, signaling that it was okay. He gingerly took it off and planted a kiss on the black and blue bruise. Soon, the damaged tissue was healed and the dull ache went away. Connie reached up and touched the no longer tender area.

"Just returning the favor…from before" he said with a blush and Connie face felt heat up as well. Their awkwardly cheerful moment was interrupted when Lion let out a long yawn.

"Guess we've been out here a long time" Connie commented as she looked up at the slightly orange tinted sky.

"Well…I did say it was going to be a long story"

"But well worth hearing" she replied and Steven smiled. He and Connie held hands as the trio walked down the mountainside to share their marvelous and revealing information.

"Oh yea, what're your favorite colors?" he asked.

"Favorite colors?" she repeated.

"Yea, so I can put'em on the next shirt I make" he said.

"…Red and yellow" she answered.

"Hey, just like my other shirts!" he realized.

"Mh-hm" she hummed as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear, secretly thankful that he's still the lovable yet **completely oblivious boy**.

* * *

_**Back at the Beach House…**_

The temple door flashed in array of multiple colors as two new circular gemstones, a green one and an orange one, appeared within the star-shaped emblem. Soon a singular, orange zig-zag line split the door open and the newly formed family exited the sacred sanctuary.

"Sheesh…that was more exhausting than combat practice with a Carnelian" Jasper said as she plopped on the couch.

"No kidding. And did **every single stone** need to be organized by size?" Amethyst irritably asked Peridot.

"I'm not used to the…rustic…infrastructure you have within your dwelling place. I like my things neat and tidy, thank you very much" Peridot replied.

"Well I for one think it's a good habit to have" Pearl commented.

"Whateves, I'm just glad it's done. The rooms do look pretty sweet though" Amethyst said as she rummaged through the fridge.

"Yea, and thanks again for all the décor and those drums" said Jasper.

"No prob" she replied as she settled on eating a couple of cantaloupes.

"And thanks for giving us a private chamber" Peridot added and Garnet acknowledged her with a nod.

"…Where's Steven?" asked Lapis when she noticed that her favorite person wasn't in his bedroom loft.

As soon as she asked that, the young duo burst the door and Steven shouted, "Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl! Lapis! Peridot! Jasper! We have amazing news that'll knock your socks off!"

Peridot quizzically looked at him and asked, "What're are socks? And how can news be converted into a weapon?"

"He means that he has something important to tell us" Garnet clarified and she nodded at the excited youngling to continue with his proclamation.

"Oh, but first! Jasper. Peridot. I'd like you two meet Connie. She's my best friend!"

Connie warily clutched Steven's hand tighter as the titanic warrior and cybernetic technician approached them to get a better look at the human deemed worthy to be a diamond's "best friend."

Peridot just stared at her; she didn't know what to make of her. She was just an ordinary human. But then again, she didn't understand **anything** about Earth nor its inhabitants.

Jasper on the other hand crossed her arms over her chest and glowered down at the girl. She remembered the last time her cub introduced her to another human, and he almost made him cry due to his lies!

So she got right to the point and bluntly stated, "You'd better not cause him any trouble."

When she uttered that subtle threat, something inside of Connie snapped and she boldly walked up to them.

She pointed her finger at the surprised gems and shouted, "Me?! Cause him trouble?! I should be saying that to you two! I'm not the one who nearly beat him to death with her bare hands! I'm not the one who nearly squished him with a giant robotic hand and almost blasted him with a plasma cannon!"

Jasper and Peridot stared at her wide-eyed with shock. They were completely stunned that such a small human could unhinge like that. Plus, no one likes to be reminded of all the horrible things they did in the past. If they had stomachs, it would've been twisted into little knots right now.

But she wasn't finished. As little tears poked through her agitated eyes she ranted, "I had to watch him throw up a bag full of blood and cry from the top lungs because of how much pain he was in! Do you have **any** idea how it feels to be so helpless when your best and **only** friend is hurting and you can't do anything to help him?!"

"As a matter of fact we do! We watched him cry out of fear in that underground cavern because his mind was broken, and we couldn't do anything! Not a single damn thing!" Jasper countered.

"Oh yea, Steven told me how he even got to that **point!**" she yelled back as she glared at Garnet and Pearl.

The duo adverted their eyes from her condemning gaze.

"So I swear if **any **of you hurt him to the point of having him go back to that spring I'll-"

"CONNIE!" Steven shouted as he got in front of her and gripped her shoulders.

Luckily he stopped her before she could say something that she would've undoubtedly regret later. He could tell she was still fuming and raring to go by the way she aggressively bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows in agitation.

"It's okay. Thank you for defending me, but it's not necessary. They already know what they did was wrong and they're already making up for it. Remember, Jasper and Peridot thought they were right because they grew up under home world's rules. Now they realize that home world's views are **really** messed up" he said.

"That doesn't excuse what **they **did! They knew better!" she retorted while pointing at Pearl and Garnet.

"They were scared, and fear has a way of sucking all the common sense out of people" he explained and she didn't have a rebuttal for that.

"Connie…you're scared right now. **Scared for me**. But you don't need to be. Everything that happened, whether good or bad, were the results of **my calls**. But instead of focusing on the negative, I acknowledge it and move on. **That's what forgiveness is all about. **And I'm liking all the positive that came out of it" he said as he smiled at his family and they returned the gesture with small smiles of their own.

"I understand that it'll be awhile for you to trust them, but…do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course I do" she immediately answered.

"Then trust me when I say that everything will be fine and we'll be chilling together in no time" he assured as he wiped the lone tear flowing down her right cheek.

"Heh…Zen Steven strikes again" she commented as she pulled him into a hug.

* * *

"…Connie" Jasper hesitantly called out.

Steven and Connie broke the hug and gave her their attention.

"I-I'm sorry for what I said and for the way I came across. I'm still getting used to this whole 'friendship' thing. I've experienced some…questionable humans so I based my assumption of you on that. But I should've trusted Steven's judgement when he deemed you his right hand human. You're pretty feisty" she commended and Connie showed a small smile.

Jasper extended her hand out and attempted to smile…although it came out as a snaggle-toothed, awkward grin. Connie stared at it for a moment. She slowly reached out for it and placed her hand in her massive palm. With a singular shake, it signaled that there were no hard feelings between them.

Peridot skittishly approached her and offered her free-floating digits to initiate the same act. Connie graciously took them and shook them as well. Steven was beaming.

"So…what's this big news you were going on about?" Jasper asked him.

"Oh yea! Tell'em Connie!"

She told them about how laser surgery could separate the gem shards and how Steven's music could be used to keep'em calm.

Garnet approached her and ruffled her hair. "I think it's brilliant! Thank you Connie" she smiled.

"Indeed! Soon we'll be able to heal all of our comrades!" Pearl exclaimed as she clasped her hands together.

The children giggled from the praise.

Jasper, Peridot and Lapis on the other hand looked at each with wide eyes.

"Are we just going to ignore the fact that humans, of all species (no offense), have developed technology to cut gems?! And wear them?! What kind of planet am I living on?!" Peridot exasperated while running her digits through her hair.

"Peridot, Earth gems aren't alive. They're like regular rocks. Humans like to wear them as decoration; they are considered a sign of affluence" Pearl causally explained.

"…Oh" the green gem responded.

"_Of course…__**now she's an expert**__" _Amethyst thought.

"Where can we get one of these lasers?" Lapis asked.

"Steven, can I borrow your laptop?" Connie asked and he complied.

Everyone gathered around the screen as she did some research through Roodle. "There it is. The Sayine Company" she said.

"Their machine looks kinda bulky" Lapis commented.

"I can convert it to a more efficient model, no problem" Peridot boasted.

"It doesn't list their prices?" Pearl questioned.

"Products like this are more on a "who wants to know" basis. They want to make sure you either have the money or the right business to own something like this" Connie explained.

"Pssh, screw money. I'll just pop on over there and 'liberate' it" Amethyst grinned.

"Oh no you don't! We are **NOT** having another cookie cat incident!" Pearl asserted.

"We'll pick up a few of these machines tomorrow, and we'll use **force** if necessary" Garnet said and everyone agreed with that, especially Amethyst and Jasper.

Steven turned off his computer and went upstairs to put it back. Connie followed him and whispered, "Aren't you going to tell them?"

"Do I have to? Look how happy they are" he replied.

"Steven, you can't put this off!" she countered.

"Do you two have something you want to say?" Garnet asked and the two younglings flinched.

Steven looked down at the gems, then back at Connie. He caved in under her determined stare and trudged down the stairs.

"Yea…but please don't be mad" Steven pleaded and everyone apprehensively nodded, fearing what sort of information could come out of his mouth.

After he explained that he basically fought their negative thoughts and why he didn't tell them, the only thing the original trio of crystal gems thought was "…_He's just like his mother."_

Lapis scooped him up and said, "Steven, don't you dare think that just being you isn't enough. In fact, it's more than enough!"

"She's right" Garnet said and everyone turned to her. "Steven, we already **knew** that we had to change the way we unleash our emotions. Now we have even more of a reason to do so. It will be rocky to start off, but we'll get better over time. Just like with any training process. I know it's not fair for me to ask this of you, but will you be patient with us, correct us when we're wrong, and help us when **we** are overwhelmed?" she asked.

"Of course I will. After all, that's just what a family do, right? We learn and grow **together**." Steven answered.

"Right!" everyone responded.

Steven could've kept on smiling, knowing that they were still going to be real with him, but all of the day's events finally caught up with him as he let out a long yawn.

"Steven, are you sleepy?" Lapis asked.

"N-no..." he responded. The gems didn't buy it, especially since he was teetering from side to side in Lapis' arms and his eyelids were drooping.

"Yes you are, and so is Connie" Garnet observed.

"What?" Steven looked over at his friend sitting on the couch, trying to keep her head up.

"Connie!" he shouted and that jolted her awake for a moment.

"Wha? "Whaz wrong?" she slurred as she quickly stood up.

"Do you want to spend the night?" he asked and that immediately got her out of her dazed state of mind.

"What? No! I can't do that! Mom and dad may be less strict but even this will be pushing it!" she exclaimed.

"Dude, chill" Amethyst said.

"Don't worry Connie, I'll speak to them and I'm sure they'll understand" Pearl offered.

Connie nodded her head and said, "Thanks."

"Well, before you two go to sleep, you'll need something to eat" Garnet said.

"How 'bout some pizza?" Amethyst suggested.

"**NO!**" Jasper and Peridot responded; they did not want a repeat of what happened last night.

"I was asking them. You don't have to eat if you don't want to y'know" Amethyst irritably said.

"Actually…can we get some sandwiches from Sub King? Is that okay Connie?" Steven asked and she nodded her head.

"Hey…that sounds pretty good! I haven't had a good ol' foot-long, ultimate triple decker in a looong time" Amethyst said.

"An ultimate triple what? And what do feet have to do with anything?" Peridot asked. Just the thought of it made the empty cavity within her churn in disgust.

"You just gotta try it to understand it. Although…you're probably better off eating the veggie supreme" Amethyst said.

"The what?! Why doesn't anything on Earth make any sense?!" she exasperated.

"It's all relative. I mean, I didn't understand any of the advancements home world made, and I used to live there" said Lapis.

"…I suppose that's true" she relented.

"Besides, it's a lot of fun to just go with the flow and try new things" Steven explained.

"Well, I'm up for trying this triple decker thing" said Jasper.

"Aw yea! You won't regret it" Amethyst said.

"I'm just claiming this now, I get the bathroom first" asserted Peridot.

"Uh…no. Doesn't work that way. It's who can get there the fastest" Amethyst clarified.

"Plus, since Steven and Connie have to experience that process on a daily basis, they naturally have first dibs" Pearl added.

"…Fine" grumbled Peridot.

"Alright, that's enough of that. Let's go get those subs!" Amethyst declared as she walked towards the door.

"Awesome! Family dinner outing! We can eat outside and watch the sunset!" Steven exclaimed as the rest of the crew followed the purple gem out the door to get some much needed nourishment and create another wonderful lasting memory.

* * *

_**Later that night…**_

The two children slept peacefully side by side on Steven's bed underneath the comfy duvet cover.

Although the rest of the gems were slightly upset that they couldn't sleep with him, Garnet reminded them that it was just for one night and that this was an important bonding moment for the two of them.

While the rest of the gems went to their rooms, Jasper elected to stay behind and keep an eye on things. Their soft snores along with the lapping water outside created a surprisingly harmonious melody that Jasper would've enjoyed…if it wasn't for that nagging concern in the back of her mind. Being careful to tip-toe across the floor so her heavy footsteps didn't disturb them, she quietly exited the house. She walked down the stairs and sat down on the grassy alcove underneath the deck. Luckily, Lion wasn't there to disturb her thoughts.

She tried to focus on the ebbing edge of the limitless ocean to organize her thoughts, but it didn't work. "_Gem…how am I going to protect him from __**that**__?" _she thought.

"…J-Jasper?" A hesitant voice snapped the warrior out of her reflective trance.

"Peridot? Lazuli? How long have you two been here?" she asked.

"For a while. Sorry for interrupting, I just needed to think; I feel calmer when I'm around the ocean" Lapis explained.

"And I tend to talk to myself whenever I have a lot on my mind. So the most logical choice of action was to come outside" added Peridot.

"Well…I can lend an ear" offered Jasper as she patted the ground next to her. The two gems accepted her offer and sat down next to her.

"Heh…I never would've thought the three of us would have this kind of familiarity with each other" Lapis chuckled.

"Yea…it's pretty unreal" agreed Jasper.

"Well, I'm glad we're together. So, am I safe in assuming that you two were thinking about **the experiment?**" Peridot asked and they nodded their heads.

"Thank goodness Connie came up with that idea. Now the only problem is getting to it in time so we can stop it" said Lapis.

"Stop what, pray tell?"

The three of them flinched when they heard the monotone voice of the de-facto leader.

"_Sheesh! I really to start training again! It's disgraceful that my senses are that dull!" _Jasper thought as she shook her head.

When the three of them turned around, not only was Garnet there, but also Pearl and Amethyst.

"W-What're you three doing out here?" stuttered Peridot.

"Same question could apply to you" replied an unamused Garnet.

"Well…I asked first!" Peridot childishly countered.

"Alright then, that's fair. Pearl and I wanted to check on Steven and Connie" Garnet explained.

"Although in Pearl's case, it's more like stalking" Amethyst joked.

"Amethyst!" Pearl chided as her face darkened.

"And I was getting the rest of my sandwich" Amethyst explained through her giggles.

"When we didn't see you, we went looking for you" Garnet finished.

"…I didn't realize I was out here for that long" Jasper sheepishly said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Now, it's your turn" she subtly commanded.

"…We got this. It doesn't concern you" Jasper stated.

"On the contrary. If whatever you're talking about endangers Steven or the Earth, then as their protectors **it's our right to know**" Garnet countered.

"No offense Garnet, but based on what I've witnessed back in the underground chamber…I don't think you can handle it" Jasper retorted.

Garnet merely crossed her arms and dared her as she said, "Try me."

Pearl took a more compromising approach and said, "C'mon. We can't let stubborn pride and assumptions stop us from achieving a common objective. Besides, as the old saying goes, 'there's strength in numbers'."

The former home world trio looked at each other. Lapis walked closer to the ocean whereas Jasper summoned her battering helmet.

"What're you two doing?!" asked Pearl.

"Just a precaution" Jasper answered. "Peridot, if you would."

The green gem gulped as she materialized her holo-pad. "The clusters we saw that day were only the prototypes. There's something much more **deadly** that's going to emerge…"

* * *

After a lengthy explanation, the original trio were speechless. Pearl's hair lost its pointy edge and Amethyst shivered. But everyone focused their attention on Garnet when they heard her growl.

"A…A war weapon?! A forced fusion being used as a forsaken WAR WEAPON?!" she seethed. She was clenching her fists so tight that it looked like she would crack her own gemstones.

Peridot immediately hid behind Jasper as the warrior assumed a grounded fighting stance. Lapis was prepared with a legion of water hands at her command.

"G-Garnet. A-Are you okay?" Pearl asked as she placed her trembling hand on the shoulder pad of her shuddering friend. She quickly retracted her hand once she felt Garnet flinch.

She took a very deep breath to calm the raging inferno inside of her. She stood tall and answered, "…No, I'm not. But I'm not **that** upset."

She sighed as she faced Jasper. "I'm sorry. I guess you were right…I couldn't handle it" she apologized to the battle ready warrior.

"Well, that actually went a lot better than I thought" Jasper said as she dismissed her helmet. Lapis banished the water armada and rejoined the group.

"Now I know why you and Peridot looked away, **the gems were already here**" Garnet surmised.

"When Steven explained that the first wave of gems to colonize the Earth were nothing more than cannon fodder, it made us realize that we're basically same thing" Lapis lamented.

"Yea…I mean why would Yellow use her resources to save an out of date gem, a crippled gem, and a gem that knows too much about her biggest failure? She's probably thrilled that we're gone" Jasper reflected. "No offense" she quickly added.

"None taken" Peridot and Lapis replied.

"Still, I wouldn't rule out her sending more forces to check the status of this…thing and possibly capturing it. She's waited over six thousand years for this thing to emerge. I'd doubt she'd give up now" warned Garnet.

"Did she happen to say why she created this thing in the first place? She can't still be trying to figure out how to form Black Diamond" Pearl asked.

"Unfortunately…I don't know. She said that was classified information" replied Peridot.

"Probably just another way to keep gems in check" guessed Jasper.

"It doesn't matter what it's for, cause it ain't gonna do nothin' because we're going to smash it!" announced Amethyst.

"You're right! By using those lasers that Connie suggested, we'll be able to cut that thing down to size and eventually heal it" Pearl declared.

"When will it emerge?" Garnet asked Peridot.

"There's no set timetable; it's on its own schedule. It'll come out when it wants to" she said.

"Great…" Amethyst dejectedly commented.

"Well gems…our objective is clear. We'll drill our way to where this abomination is located and stop it" Garnet commanded.

"What about Steven?" Lapis asked.

"**I don't want him to know about this. This mission is completely top secret, understood?**" Garnet asserted.

"What?! Are you sure that's wise? Don't you remember what he was able to do to the prototypes?!" Peridot stressed.

"And it almost cost him his life!" she roared back and everyone was silent.

She took off her shades and faced her family, "Listen. I know that his abilities could prove to be useful. And I'm aware of the consequences if he finds out that we kept this from him. But I'd sooner have my gems shattered than to see him like that **ever again**."

Everyone nodded at that.

"We'll still see him, it's not we're going to abandon him. Plus, he needs to continue his training in the event that more gems do decide to pay us a visit" she said.

"I can handle that" Jasper stated, pounding her chest with her fist.

"Good. Alright, rest up everyone. All of us need to be at full strength if we're going to save our home, both the planet and our most precious person."

* * *

**Will the gems be able to stop this underground threat? What kind of training awaits Steven? Will Yellow's patience run thin? Stay tuned for the next new arc: "Strong in Which Way?" Kinda fitting that I'd go into a training arc after my crossfit event, which I did very well in.**

**Well, Connie did says she wasn't afraid of sharing her feelings. That's the kind of friend I'd want any day. That whole scenario is the result of playing Mario Tennis and having "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" stuck in my head. I'll leave you guys to guess which tennis players I used for her opponent.**

**It kinda clicked for me that a gem laser cutting machine could be used to perform surgery on a gem, so to speak.**

**And just like Steven realized, I'm truly grateful to everyone who takes the time to read my work, follows, faves, and leaves encouraging and helpful reviews. I'm glad that all of these pieces(happiness, sadness, zaniness, anguish, occasional singing, etc.) are coming together to form a perfect puzzle. And I'm blessed that you all have chosen to come along for the ride.  
**

**I mean just…wow. **

**25 chapters. **

**I would've never imagined this in my wildest dreams. And I've just barely scratched the surface. Now that the foundation's been set, time to get into some more twists and turns with more fluff, feels, action, and another 'enemy' besides home world gems (thanks for the idea guest2). Oop, said too much.  
**

**Also, I can't find the review, but I wanted to thank whoever suggested the reason why Yellow wouldn't come back for Jasper, Lapis, and Peridot.**

**See you guys later :)**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**

**Quick shout out to Sub King in my hometown! Best roast beef sandwich ever!**


	26. Chapter 26

"LET'S GO STEVEN! If you don't get your gem up this hill in the next five seconds, I'll throw a boulder on your back and you'll have to carry it up and down this hill twenty more times!" yelled the now surprisingly merciless striped teacher.

"_B-Boulder?!_ _Twenty times?! She can't be serious!"_ thought the out of breath youngling. He already ran up the hill forty-nine times; it wasn't so bad until he hit the dreaded 'no energy' wall at number thirty-five.

Unfortunately, her countdown proved otherwise.

With a mental empowering yell, Steven closed his eyes, summoned the last of his energy and quickly ran up the verdant hilltop on his shaky, lactic acid filled legs.

"Three…two…o-OOF!"

Just as Jasper was about to hit one, Steven rammed into her at full speed, effectively yet inadvertently tackling her. Unfortunately for her, the act was witnessed by a snickering purple gem who just so happened to show up carrying a cooler filled with various items.

"Way to go Ste-man!" she cheered as she laughed her head off.

Jasper grumbled as she sat up and picked up her exhausted cub by the back of his sweat-drenched, red star shirt.

"W-Water…" he gasped.

Amethyst heeded his dry call and grabbed a bottle of electrolyte-infused water. "Here ya go bud" she said as her giggling finally subsided.

Steven twisted the cap off and chugged the much needed liquid hydration.

"Dang…good thing I hopped up here when I did. Sheesh Jasper, what're you trying to do? Kill the kid?" Amethyst concernedly asked when she finally noticed his exhausted state.

Jasper laid Steven on the soft blades of grass so he could gather enough oxygen into his lungs.

"Of course not! And where were you?! You were supposed to be here over a half hour ago!" she retorted as she stood up and wiped off the water he dribbled on her.

"I had to get my protein-power up on. And I had to wait for Pearl to get back from the store. She wanted him to have that doctor water and healthy snacks. Good thing too, looks like he really needs it" she commented as Steven's breathing finally evened out.

"…I don't understand. This is barely warm up back on home world." Jasper commented.

"Uh, he **is **half human, remember?" Amethyst replied.

"I know that!" she glared.

Amethyst flinched under her intense stare. "_Okay, lesson learned. Don't talk to her with a smart mouth"_ she realized.

"He's still half gem, and a **diamond** no less. I don't understand why he just doesn't refresh his strength. He does know how to do that…right?" she asked.

"Uh…" was the only response she got.

"He doesn't know?!" she fumed.

"Hey! His shield powers only showed up a year ago! We didn't know how to control'em or what to teach him!" she defended.

Jasper closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her gem and irritably sighed - more so out of guilt that she could've seriously injured him…**again**. This time due to ignorance.

"Steven…are you okay?" she asked as she crouched down next to him; Amethyst followed suit.

He slowly opened his eyes and shakily replied, "…I-I'm g-good."

But she didn't buy it.

"I'm sorry! I should've been easier on you" she apologized.

"N-No! Don't be sorry! I need to be stronger, and this is the only way! Like you said, this is barely a warm up back on home world. And besides, the first workout is always the hardest. **Trust me, I know**" he explained as flashbacks of his homemade gym and debilitating soreness came back to him.

"Well, you definitely got some muscle action goin' on" Amethyst commented as she lightly touched his quad. But that contact was enough to make him whimper in pain. "S-Sorry bud!" she said and she immediately backed away.

"Okay. That's it. No more. We're done for today" Jasper decided once she heard him whimper. "Time to get rid of this pain. Steven, I want you to close your eyes."

He did as he was told and she continued, "Now, you said the secret to controlling your powers is emotional clarity, right? So, I want you to **stop thinking about the pain**."

"What?! What sense does that make?" Amethyst questioned but Jasper quickly silenced her with another glare.

"Instead, focus on the energy in your gem. Feel its rejuvenating energy coursing through your body and how refreshed you'll feel afterward. Kinda like how you felt after you got out of that hidden spring" she clarified.

Steven heeded the words his tiger mentor spoke to him and took deep breaths to quiet his mind…as if he was going to sleep. He envisioned the overwhelming relief he felt when he exited the diamond grotto, and in turn his body started to feel…tingly.

On the outside, Jasper and Amethyst noticed that his gem was glowing and that his entire body was enveloped in a pink, aura-like, force field.

"Is that supposed to happen? That doesn't happen with me" Amethyst said and Jasper merely shrugged her shoulders.

About a moment later, the pink hue disappeared and Steven slowly opened his eyes.

"How ya feelin' bud?" Amethyst asked.

He answered that question when he sprang onto his healed feet and declared, "I feel amazing! Feels like I had good night sleep! C'mon, let's do some more training!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there Steven. I was serious when I said we're done for today. Even though refreshing ourselves heals our injuries, it takes a while so it leaves us vulnerable to an enemy attack. That's why you should only do it when you're in a safe area for an extended period of time" Jasper explained.

"But I have a bubble shield! I can protect myself while healing myself at the same time" he realized.

"He has a point" Amethyst agreed.

"…True. But do you have enough stamina to simultaneously do those two things?" questioned Jasper.

"Ah! Uh…no…" he sighed, remembering that his mom also said he had to build up his stamina too.

"Hey, don't get so down my little cub. It's still a great idea. We'll do another training session later today and we'll work on that, okay?" she guaranteed as she ruffled his hair.

"Okay…" he dejectedly replied.

"Aw, cheer up bud! Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day" Amethyst said.

"…What's Rome?" Jasper asked.

"Never mind. What I'm saying is you gotta take your time. You don't wanna to rush something like this and hurt yourself. You'll be strong soon! Definitely stronger than her!" she said with a cheeky smile as she patted Jasper on the arm.

"Heh…yep, you'll get there" Jasper agreed. "_He's already stronger than me in so many ways_" she thought.

Stars appeared in Steven's eyes as he pictured himself being able to lift super heavy objects and punch through solid stone with ease.

* * *

"Now just because you're done, doesn't mean the learning stops. Tell me what you remember from our last lesson" Jasper asked.

"To battle with a clear mind and when you're charging towards somebody, it's about making'em think you're doing one thing when you're really doing something else" he proudly recited.

"Very good. Now that Amethyst is here, we'll show you some basic hand-to-hand combat" she said.

"Alright! Time to mix it up!" Amethyst gleefully said as she cracked her knuckles.

Suns appeared in his eyes as he sat down to watch his mentors face each other in a friendly duel.

Before they could engage in mock combat, Jasper asked "Amethyst, can you shapeshift into a bigger form please?"

A slight scowl appeared on her face. She was about to ask why Jasper couldn't shrink down to her size, but thought better against it. She's the one teaching him. Plus…she did say _please_.

"_She didn't mean anything by it…" _she told herself as she shook off those negative feelings of inadequacy. "Sure" she replied and she shapeshifted into her Purple Puma persona.

"Thank you" Jasper replied as she bowed to her, showing her respect.

That act caught her off guard. She sputtered out "Y-You're welcome" and returned the proper gesture.

"Alright. We'll start with the basic punch. When throwing a punch, you have to put your whole weight behind it, not just your arm. That won't do anything" she explained as an arm powered punch didn't even reach Amethyst.

"Unless of course you shapeshift your arm" Amethyst commented as she threw her own version of an arm powered punch, which Jasper effectively blocked. Then she dashed towards her and gave her a swift right hook to the face, knocking her to the ground.

"HEY! What was that for?!" Amethyst yelled as she held her left cheek.

"What? I was just showing how effective a full body punch is" she smugly replied while crossing her arms over her chest. Amethyst grumbled as she stood up and awaited the next part of the lesson.

"Now, when you've knocked down your opponent, that's the best opportunity to put them into a grapple hold to subdue and finish them" she stated.

"Like twisting their heads?" Steven asked as he recalled how Pearl cracked that baby centipeedle's neck.

"Exactly. Now Amethyst, if you would."

Amethyst begrudgingly turned around and allowed Jasper to grapple her arms in a hold. "_And no more funny business, got it? We're trying to teach him the basics remember?!" _she whispered into her ear.

A mischievous glint appeared in Amethyst's eyes and she replied, "…Whatever you say."

With that confirmation, Jasper continued her explanation. "If you don't have your opponent on the ground, get'em there by making'em lose their balance. You can do that by tripping their feet up."

"Yea…like this!" With that Amethyst shapeshifted back into her standard form, effectively freeing herself from Jasper's hold. Then she performed a swift low kick to knock her onto the ground. She quickly transformed back into The Purple Puma, got on top of her and pinned her to the ground.

"HEY! What did I just say?!" she growled.

"You said we were teaching him the basics" she whispered back, then told Steven, "Even if your opponent is bigger than you, you can always use your size to your advantage. After all, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!"

Although she couldn't deny the fact that that was an important tactic for Steven to learn due to his small stature, Jasper didn't like the fact that she was duped. "Wanna play it like that huh?! FINE!" she roared.

Using all of her upper body strength, she head butted Amethyst square in the forehead. She recoiled from the powerful blow, allowing Jasper to stand up.

"Remember cub. So long as one part of your body is free, even your head, you can escape any hold" she told him as she assumed a defensive stance. Amethyst growled from the pain and charged towards her.

At that point, all bets were off as an all-out melee ensued. Multiple punches were thrown, advanced aerial kicks were unleashed and a couple of pile drivers shook the mountainside.

"Uh…guys?" Steven questioned; he wasn't sure whether or not this was still part of the lesson. But he realized soon enough that this fight went beyond just a mere practice battle when they summoned their weapons.

"GUYS! STOP!" he shouted and the two combatants finally heard their charge's plea for peace. "What're you doing!?" he asked.

Jasper and Amethyst let go of each other and the purple gem sheepishly replied, "…Training you?"

"It doesn't look like a training session to me! It looked like you guys **wanted **to beat each other up! Really bad! Why would you want to hurt each other? We're a family!" he asserted while rapidly tapping his foot.

The duo sighed at their immaturity and Jasper said, "You're right…I'm sorry Amethyst."

"No…this was all my fault. I was the one being a jerk and messin' up your lesson. I-I guess I just wanted to show that I'm more than just my original body…I'm still sensitive about it. I…I…oh forget it!" she said as she reverted back to her normal form.

"Amethyst…what's wrong?" Steven asked.

She groaned in frustration. She hated expressing her feelings…it made her feel weak. But Garnet said that they had to learn how to deal with things like this. Bottling them up will just hurt everyone in the long run.

"I-I just felt a little hurt when you asked me to shapeshift to your size. My mind just went back to what you said when you first got here" she explained.

"But…I thought we cleared all that up that night when we apologized to each other" Jasper recalled.

"We did! I know we did! I don't understand why it creeps up on me like that, but it does! And sometimes I just need to let it out!" she vented.

Jasper blinked a couple of times, but showed a soft smile and said, "…I get it. I'm the same way. I don't know how to explain it, but fighting just clears my mind up. Maybe that's just our nature as quartzes…I don't know. But I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I didn't mean to. It's just that you're so adept at shapeshifting so I thought it wouldn't be such a big deal."

"…It's not. And…I'm sorry I made it one. And…thanks" Amethyst said as she revealed a small smile of her own.

"No problem. Whenever you need to let off some steam, just let me know. But I won't go easy on you" she replied.

"Wouldn't have it any other way" Amethyst grinned.

* * *

"Hey! I got an idea!" Steven shouted as stars appeared in his eyes. "You two should fight together in the Beach City Wrestling Federation!"

"The what federation?" Jasper asked.

"Aw yea, Steven! That's a great idea! We'd be unstoppable!" Amethyst cheered.

"YEA!" Steven exclaimed sharing her enthusiasm.

"Wait, hold on! What're you two going on about?" Jasper asked again.

"The Beach City Wrestling Federation is where people get together, dress up in cool costumes, come up with nicknames and fight each other! For fun!" he clarified.

"For fun?" Jasper repeated.

"Yea!" Steven said.

"…Really?" she asked again and Steven nodded his head.

"…Sorry, but fighting for fun is just…weird to hear." she explained.

"Oh…right" Steven said as he remembered what she went through back on home world.

"Well, there's no dying in wrestling. Broken bones maybe, but no dying. Plus, when you beat everybody you become the Beach City Wrestling champion!" Amethyst explained while throwing in some jazz hands for good measure.

"Now I like the sound of that!" Jasper smiled.

"Yea! You two would make an awesome tag team!" Steven declared.

"What about Tiger Millionaire?" Amethyst asked.

"He'll be your guys' manager. He's always looking for new investment opportunities" he explained and she chuckled at that.

"Who's Tiger Millionaire?" asked Jasper.

"Oh, it's my wrestling nickname! Amethyst is the Purple Puma" he explained and Amethyst transformed back into her larger, spandex wearing form. Even showing off a bit by flexing her pecks.

"And we can even come up with cool backstories" Steven further explained as he told Jasper their fictional back stories (although Amethyst's had a bit of truth hidden in hers).

"…Interesting" she commented.

"C'mon, Jasper! Let's get a look for you!" he excitedly exclaimed.

"What's wrong with the way I look now?" she defensively asked as she looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"Nothing! It's just that we have to keep our real selves a secret identity from the order of wrestling haters" he explained.

"What?! There's an enemy after you two?! I thought you said this wrestling thing was for fun!" she retorted.

"It is! The haters don't exist, it's all pretend. Y'know, to add excitement to the sport" Steven tried to explain.

But Jasper just held her head and sighed, "…You and your crazy Earth customs."

"Jazz. Just fight whoever's in the ring and win. That's all you need to know" Amethyst simplified and Jasper slowly nodded her head at the explanation.

"Now, try shapeshifting into how I look" she suggested.

Soon Jasper's entire body was engulfed in a blinding orange light. A moment later, her new form was revealed.

Her upper body was flatter and covered with white chest hair. She was sporting a burgundy one-piece spandex suit similar to Amethyst's and auburn boots with brown tips. Instead of a mask, she wore a burgundy headband across her forehead. She still kept her wristbands.

"Hmmm…something's missing" Steven pondered as he looked over her new form.

"Yea…but what?" Amethyst asked.

"What's wrong? Don't I look tough enough?" Jasper asked as she patted her furry chest.

"Of course! You just need that "it" factor to set it over the top. But what? What?!" Steven knocked on his head to try and stimulate his brain.

"I GOT IT! A MUSTACHE!" he exclaimed with starry eyes.

"Mustache?" she asked.

"Yea! Like this guy!" he said as he took out his phone. After doing a quick search on Roodle, he found the person he was looking for and showed her the picture.

"Who's that?" she questioned.

"That's Bulk Bogan! He was a super famous wrestler and he was super tough! No one could beat him! And his mustache was awesome! It's even trademarked" he explained.

"I bet I could take him no sweat" Amethyst commented.

"…And you think having this 'mustache' will set my toughness over the top?" Jasper asked.

"And the glasses too!" Steven added.

"…Alright, if you say so" she replied, still not fully understanding Earth looks.

This time only her face was aglow and a moment later she sported a white, horseshoe shaped mustache and black aviator sunglasses.

"SOOO COOOL!" Steven marveled.

"Really?" she asked as she stroked her facial hair.

"Yea, check it out!" Amethyst said as she transformed into a large, full-body mirror.

"…Wow" was the only word she could say. She did a couple flexing poses. "Heh…you were right. This definitely sets it over the top" she commented as she admired her bulging biceps.

"Alright Narcissus, that's enough of that" Amethyst playfully chided as she switched back to her Purple Puma persona.

"Who's Narcissus?" she asked.

"Just some dude who liked looking at himself too much that he actually fell in love with himself" she explained.

"Oh…HEY!" she countered as the insult finally hit her. Amethyst just chuckled.

"C'mon! I want to take a picture!" Steven said and the newly formed wrestling duo put their arms around each other shoulders.

"Smile!" he cheerfully said and they did as they were told. Soon the flash went off. Steven looked at the image and nodded in satisfaction.

"We want to see too!" Amethyst said and he showed them the pic.

"Pretty sweet!" she commented and Jasper agreed with her.

"Alright, now that you have your wrestling persona, you need an awesome wrestling name. Hmmm…can't do anything tiger because that's my thing. Hmmmm." Steven continued humming as he paced around in a circle, trying to think.

"What about Big Buff Fireball?" Amethyst suggested.

"No" Jasper flatly replied. "And why a fireball anyway?"

"Well instead of stripes, the lines on your body could be like fire tattoos" Amethyst explained.

"…Or burn marks" she solemnly said as she ran her hand over her arms.

Amethyst immediately mentally face palmed her brain when she remembered what Jasper went through. Before she had a chance to apologize for her insensitivity, Steven blurted out, "Blazing Beast!"

"What?" the wrestling duo concurrently asked.

* * *

"Yea! Check it out. Blazing beast was a powerful protector of all the animals in the jungle. One day, a creature named Infernal Leviathan invaded the jungle because it wanted to have the beautiful land all to itself. Blazing Beast defeated it and banished it to the outlands, a desert wasteland. But Infernal Leviathan swore revenge and got its chance when lighting struck a dead tree, setting it on fire. The evil creature used some of the blaze to set the jungle on fire.

"Blazing Beast suffered burns all over her body trying to save as many animals as she could. That's why she has stripes. Because of her appearance and the guilt she felt for not doing enough to prevent the disaster, she felt inadequate to protect the animals. Even though they continued to praise and seek her out. She joined Purple Puma because her wild, yet sensitive, nature rekindled the protective fighter within her and now stands to defend the people that're misunderstood in the world from the league of wrestling haters."

* * *

Jasper and Amethyst stared at him wide-eyed when he finished his tale.

"D-do you like it?" he hesitantly asked as their silence made him nervously shift side-to-side on his feet.

Jasper answered his question when she cracked a toothy grin. She picked him up and exclaimed, "It's amazing!"

"Yea dude, that freakin' rocked! How do you come up with this stuff?" asked Amethyst.

Steven shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I dunno. It just comes to me."

"Well, I'm glad it does. Thanks for turning…**that**…into something heroic" she said.

"You guys are heroic!" he proudly stated.

That stunned the duo into silence for a moment, but smiles soon overtook their blank, bewildered expressions. Jasper held him close to her head so he was immersed in her soft locks whereas Amethyst playfully ruffled his puffy hair. Soon a dazzling array of lights surrounded the trio.

Unfortunately…the moment was broken when they heard an "Ahem" behind them.

They turned around to see Lapis hovering in the air with her water wings. "I-I'm so sorry to interrupt, but Garnet says it's time to go get the machines" she stuttered while trying to dismiss her own deep blue blush.

As soon as Jasper saw that, the glow emanating from her gem disappeared and a blush covered her face as well. "_No…it's fine. We're not on home world anymore" _she reminded herself as she set Steven down.

Amethyst just kept on smiling at the bashful gems. "_Man…this'll never get old_" she thought as she and Jasper reverted back to their normal forms.

"Alright! Let's go!" Steven declared but Amethyst grabbed his shoulder before he could march down the mountain.

"Sorry bud, but you're not going with us" she said.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Things could get a little…testy…with Pearl negotiating. Just because she can generate money, doesn't mean she wants to waste it. We don't want you to end up with record" she explained.

"A record? Like from dad's record collection?" he asked.

"Not that kind of record. A **criminal record. **We don't want you to get arrested in case something goes wrong. I mean, how would we tell your dad that this cute lil' baby face is the picture of a thug?" she extenuated by squishing his chubby cheeks.

"I don't have a baby face…" he pouted as he brushed her hands away. "I'm a large man now" he asserted by crossing his arms over his chest.

"Uh huh…whatever you say" she sarcastically commented. "But you're still not going" she said in finality.

"But what about you guys?! I don't want you guys to go to jail!" he wailed.

"Well…technically we're already wanted fugitives by home world" Lapis explained.

"And no human jail can hold me" Jasper asserted.

Seeing that he wasn't going to change their minds, he reluctantly gave in and said, "…Okay." He never liked being left out on missions.

"Hey cheer up dude. It'll probably be boring anyway, so I'm actually saving you" she said.

"Plus you can practice your punches and kicks while we're gone. Maybe even surround your fist with your shield to create a power-up punch" Jasper suggested.

"Like how he slapped you?" Amethyst cheekily asked.

"Yea…like that" she replied as she glared at her.

"Awesome! It'll be like the knuckle busters that Unko of the Typhoon Hawks uses!" he realized and those dejected feelings fled from his mind.

"Uh huh, just like that" Jasper agreed.

"_What the heck is a Typhoon Hawk? And who's Unko?"_ she whispered to Amethyst.

"_No clue, just roll with it"_ she replied.

"Alright! I'll have that move perfected when you get back" he declared.

"Sounds good, Ste-man. See you soon" Amethyst said as she gave him one last head ruffle.

Lapis flew over to him and gave him a hug. "Don't worry, we won't be gone long" she assured and the trio of pure gems dropped down the sheer side of the cliff to the beach house.

* * *

Now Steven was alone; nothing but the swirling salty air to keep him company. "_Hmm…I need some training music" _he thought.

He pulled out his phone and scrolled down his playlist. "Aha!" he exclaimed as he selected his song. It was sweet fusion of jazz, rock guitar, R &amp; B and a little hip hop thrown in for good measure.

Steven assumed the fighting stance Jasper showed him and began throwing a flurry of quick jabs to the invisible opponent. After that little warm-up, he concentrated on his gem to summon two shields, one on each arm.

"_Emotional clarity"_ he internally chanted as he closed his eyes and envisioned his shields covering his hands like boxing gloves. His gemstone heeded his inner desire and morphed the shields into a pair of pink crystal knuckle gloves.

"I-I did it? I DID IT! ALRIGHT!" he cheered when he saw the final result. "I wish I had something to test'em on. Hmmm…I know!"

He ran down the hill back to the front of his humble abode and approached one of the ruined pieces of the temple that was buried in the sand.

"_I don't think they'll mind"_ he thought as he got into his fighting stance. "YAAAAAH!" he yelled as he put his whole weight behind the powerful punch. When the crystalline glove made contact with the stone ruin, it cracked it in two!

"Whoooa…" he awed as the dust cloud settled.

And he wasn't the only one amazed by the feat of impressive strength.

"S-Steven?" a voice hesitantly called out.

The said hybrid child turned around to see Connie standing a few feet from him with her mouth wide open.

"Connie!" he happily shouted as he dismissed his knuckle gloves and ran up to her to give her hug. That snapped her out of shocked revere and she returned the embrace.

"Steven…how did you do that?" she finally asked.

"Here, let me show you!" With that he covered his hands with two shields and created his own version of the knuckle busters.

"…Wow! When could you do that?" she marveled.

"Just now. Jasper and Amethyst were training me, but all of the gems left to get those gem cutting machines. So I've been training by myself in the meantime until they come back. Oh hey! I found out that I can restore my energy by using the energy in my gem, so I'll never get tired! Just like that pink bunny in the battery commercials. Well…more or less" he said as he dismissed his crystal gloves.

"I think even without your gem it would take a lot to make you tired" she said and he laughed at that.

"Not too sure about that. Jasper had me running up and down that hill fifty times and I was beyond beat" he said.

"What?! That's insane! Is she trying to kill you?!" she angrily asked.

"No no! It's okay! This'll make me stronger in the long run. Besides, no pain no gain r-right?" he sheepishly said.

Connie rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Alright…but I'm serious! If she tries anything-"

"She won't. She's changed" he assured.

"Okay, I trust you" she said and he smiled.

"So what brings you by? Not that I'm not happy to see you! It's just… aren't you usually at school at this time?" he asked.

"Usually yes, but I didn't go to school today. Sorry, I forgot that you had a new phone. I should've called to let you know I was coming" she apologized.

"It's okay. So what happened?" he asked.

"I was at the doctor's office. Mom wanted one of her coworkers, who specializes in head injuries, to check and see if I still had any concussion symptoms" she explained.

"But…I healed you" he said.

"That's what I told her, but she still wanted to play it safe. Once she saw I was in the clear, she let me come over" she finished.

"Wow…that's something. Y'know, all things considered" he commented.

"Yea, but it's not for the reason you think. I forgot to tell you, it's Spring Break at my school!" she happily announced with a big smile on her face.

"Is it like summer vacation!?" he asked with stars in his eyes.

"Almost. Instead of being out of school for three months, I only get two weeks off. But…because of the doctor's board concussion protocol, I have to take a week off! So I'm out before everyone else and I'm not even hurt!" she enthusiastically explained.

"Cool! Now we can hang out more!" he cheered.

"But…what about your training? I mean, you do have a magical destiny. I-I don't want to get in the way" she replied.

"What're you talking about? You wouldn't get in the way. And besides, I love hanging out with you" he smiled. That put a smile on her face as well.

"So, what do you want to do?" he asked.

She scratched her head and replied, "I don't know. I mean just being with you is cool enough."

"Well, how about another picnic? I left the cooler of snacks that Amethyst brought back on top of the hill" he suggested.

"That sounds great. I actually saw you running across the sand as I was walking up to your house, and I tried to catch up to you. So yea, I'm a little winded myself" she said.

"So what're we waitin' for? Let's eat!" he exclaimed and the duo climbed up the cliff side.

"Alright, let's see what we have here" he said as he popped open the lid.

Inside was a delicious assortment of orange slices, peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches, walnuts, bananas, water and apple juice.

"Aw yea! Healthy food rules!" he exclaimed as he grabbed a couple of sandwiches for him and her.

"I_tadakimasu!" "Gracias!"_ they concurrently said and they laughed at their little inside joke.

"Man, that was deeeeelicious!" he said as he patted his full belly and laid down on the grass.

"Mm hm!" Connie hummed as she followed suit.

The duo relaxed on the natural carpet and watched the clouds float on by. Then Steven started to hum a simple beat, which soon morphed into a made-up melody:

_"The sun is bright_

_ I'm feelin' keen _

_Just watching clouds above the sea _

_C'mon and sing along with me"_

"Steven…you know I'm not good at making up lyrics" she chuckled.

"Won't know until you try" he said as he kept the beat by patting his chest.

She smiled and decided to play along:

_"Peanut butter strawberry _

_Different fruit from many trees _

_C'mon and sing along with me"_

Stars appeared in Steven's eyes and he silently egged her to continue. So she did:

_"I'll do my best, to give this jam the sweetness it deserves" _

And Steven followed her with his line, _"And I'll keep it fresh with the coolest voice that you've ever heard."_

After a few upbeat pats on his chest, the two friends melded their voices together for the last line:

_"Ingredients in harmony, _

_We gel together perfectly _

_C'mon and sing along with me"_

They laughed whole heartily once the impromptu singing session ended.

"See? Told you you were good at making up lyrics" he said.

"I guess so" she chuckled as they resumed gazing up at the cloud dotted sky.

* * *

"Oh, look! That cloud looks like Lion!" Steven exclaimed as he took a quick pic with his phone.

"Y'know…I think your mom knew who you were destined to be when she gave you Lion for your familiar" Connie said.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yea. You said that she wanted you to have a powerful protector with approachable fluffiness. And that's exactly what you are! You such a sweet, gentle boy and you're going to be a powerful warrior. Not to mention both of you are the most easy-going pair I've ever seen. You mirror each other perfectly. Plus it makes sense that a **king** would have the king of the savannah as his companion" she explained.

"Wow…I never thought of it like that. Now if only I could get him to like Cookie Cats…" he joked and Connie laughed at that.

"So if a lion is my familiar, what animal would be your familiar?" he asked.

"…I…I don't know. What do you think?" she asked.

Steven closed his eyes as he sorted through all the animals he knew. Connie turned over onto her belly and rested her head in her hands as she anxiously waited. She was curious beyond measure to hear what her friend thought of her.

"An owl" he finally said.

Her grin disappeared as her excitement deflated a little. She quizzically looked at him and asked, "Is it because of the whole owl equals intelligence comparison?" She hoped beyond measure that she masked the slight disappointment in her voice over such a predictable choice.

"It does? I didn't know that. Well then that's another reason. But I picked an owl because they only come out at night; they're hidden in the dark. Just like you. You were only comfortable with your parents but hidden to everyone else in the world. Which is such a shame because owls are so cool! And when I met you and you experienced all this magic stuff, instead of being afraid, you were amazed! Your eyes got really big and were filled with wonder…right?" he asked and she nodded her head as she waited with baited breath for him to continue his explanation.

"Just like how an owl's eyes get really big! And you're able to see things from all kinds of different perspectives, just like how they're able to turn their heads to see in all kinds of different directions. But the big reason why I picked an owl is the same as why you said I'm like a lion. Owls are puffy and cute, but when it's in attack mode they look really fierce. Just like you! You're a caring and calm girl, but when somebody messes with you"

"Or you" she added.

"You turn into Owl Connie and you don't mess around!" he finished.

She just stared at him with diamonds in her eyes; her stunned silence unnerved him a little.

"…I was way off wasn't I?" he asked and that snapped her out of her shocked state of mind.

"No! It was just…I mean…Wow! Everything you said was so true. It's amazing! How do you come up with this stuff?" she marveled.

"I dunno. It just made sense to me; just like the lion comparison made sense to you. Besides, I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't know what you were like" he replied.

"No, I suppose not" she chuckled. "And I'm glad you are" she added.

Her cheerful disposition suddenly turned into a despondent one as she sighed and laid her head on her forearms.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"…It's nothing"

"Connie. C'mon, you can tell me" he gently assured.

She sighed, "It's just that…I wish I could do more. I mean you're training to fight other gems that'll want to hurt the Earth! To hurt people! And I'll just be stuck on the sidelines not being able to anything."

"Hey now, that's just stinkin' thinkin'! You're the one who came up with the idea to heal the clusters with laser gem surgery. Not to mention you helped me out by showing me that plain ol' Steven is more than enough. And believe me when I say that plain ol' Connie is definitely more than enough!" he assured.

She smiled at that, but it slowly disappeared when she said, "Thanks Steven. I know supporting one another is important, but I want to fight too! I want to awaken the fierce Owl Connie piece of my puzzle and battle alongside the Lion King!"

Seeing how determined and passionate she was about this matter, he simply suggested "Well, why don't you?"

"What?" she asked.

"Yea! You can train with me! And I have the perfect idea! C'mon, let's see if the gems are home!"

"S-Steven! Wait!"

But it fell on deaf ears as Steven grabbed the cooler and started running down the hill.

"_Well, might as well see what he has in mind"_ she thought as she chased after him. "_Good thing I went with the sun t-shirt and shorts today__**" **_she thought as she kicked up a sand cloud with her rapid running.

* * *

"_Wow…Jasper's training really worked! I feel a lot faster and not as tired!" _he thought as he approached the grassy alcove beneath his house.

Just as he was climbing up the stairs, the whole house lit up with the familiar light of the warp pad.

"_Perfect timing!"_ he thought as he burst through the door, startling the differently dressed Pearl.

"Steven! What's wrong?!" she asked as she ran over to the slightly gasping boy.

"N-Nothing. In fact everything's perfect!" he said as Connie entered right behind him.

"What? How so? And why were you two running so fast?" she asked, but realized that asking a person questions after they just did such a strenuous, physical activity wasn't such a good idea.

She grabbed the blue/white plastic cooler out his hold, set it on the floor near the refrigerator and motioned for the two younglings to sit on the couch.

"Now then, what's going on?" she asked again as she handed each of them an electrolyte water bottle.

"Well, y'see…Oh, hey! I like your new outfit" he said as he sipped some water.

Pearl had to do a double take when he switched gears like that. "This old thing? It's nothing really. I just wanted to look presentable for the price negotiations" she explained.

She was wearing a form-fitting, dark blue tunic jacket with teal-colored buttons, white pants and teal pointed flats with a gold buckle on the sides. Her hair was slicked over the left side.

"Well I think it looks **super fancy**" he complimented and Connie nodded in agreement.

Pearl froze from the comment for a split second, then immediately reverted back to her standard attire and hairstyle. "Yes, w-well. Thank you. But now that I'm back, I can finally relax in my comfortable clothes" she hastily explained.

"So how did it go? Were you able to get the machines? And where's everyone else? They didn't get arrested did they?!" he worriedly asked.

"What? No, of course not! Although I will admit trying to see, let alone negotiate, with the CEO over a fair price was rather annoying. More so of the fact that he was trying to hit on Lapis" she said.

"What? Why was he trying to hit her?" he asked.

Sometimes Steven's obliviousness was a blessing and an annoyance.

"Steven, she meant that the CEO wanted Lapis to be his girlfriend" Connie explained.

"What's wrong with that? I mean you're my girl friend" he innocently responded.

Connie's heartrate accelerated a bit at the comment and she and Pearl looked at him with wide eyes, until they realized what he **really** meant.

"Oh Steven…never grow up" Pearl affectionately said as she rubbed his head.

"…Okay?" he responded, not really sure on how to take that command.

"Anyway, we reached an agreement thanks in part to some…**persuasion** from Garnet and Jasper. Everyone is still back at Sayine Company. Peridot wanted to examine which machines were the best. So I came back to make sure that you were okay. Now, once again, why were you two running so fast?" she asked.

"We wanted to see if you were home, and you are! Which is great because **can you teach Connie how to swordfight?**" he asked.

"You want me to whaat?" she asked back.

"Teach Connie how to swordfight! She's already super good!" he praised.

"Steven!" Connie embarrassingly exasperated as she blushed from the compliment.

"But it's true! You should've seen her when she helped me take down that robot floaty thing! And she was slicin' and dicin' that evil clone of herself like it was nothing!" he exalted.

Pearl turned her attention to the now bashful girl and said, "You're awfully young to be begin something like this. But then again, I was only a few thousand years old when I began fighting alongside Rose Quartz."

Then Connie raised her hand to the air.

"Yes, Connie?" Pearl asked.

"Please! I want to learn. I-I know you guys are going to be fighting some bad gems, and it may be dangerous for someone like me, but I don't care! I don't want to be a burden and just sit on the sidelines not being to help! I want to be there for Steven like he's always been there for me…I want to fight by his side and help protect our home! Please…can't you help me?" she pleaded.

Pearl's eyes looked a bucket filled to the brim with water, just waiting to spill over the edge. "O-Oh! O-Okay!" she stuttered through her quivering smile. She wiped the mist out of her eyes and declared, "If that's how you feel, then we should get started!"

Steven cheered as he followed her to the warp pad, but Connie hung back and asked "Wait, now?"

"Of course! No time like the present" Pearl said as she stood on the domestic warp.

"_She's right! Who knows how long I'll have before Steven starts fighting" _she realized.

She rushed up to the warp pad to join her friend and new-found mentor.

"This is going to be so awesome!" Steven said and Connie couldn't agree more.

"Ready you two?" Pearl asked.

"Ready!" they answered.

"Alrighty then." With that she activated the warp stream, taking them to an unknown location that without a shadow of a doubt provide a valuable learning experience for **all** of them.

* * *

**How will the training go between Steven/Jasper and Connie/Pearl? Stay tuned for part 2 of "Strong in Which Way"**

**So this chapter was nice and fluffy right? Well...for anyone who remembers episodes like "Cat Fingers" "On the Run" "So Many Birthdays", fluffy in the beginning means something crazy emotional is about to go down. Or it could just be more fluff...you'll have to wait and see ;)**

**And a big thanks to Nikki Firesong for her idea for Jasper's wrestling name. I got the Hulk Hogan idea from some fanart on tumblr. Bonus points to anyone who recognizes which show I referenced the knuckle busters from.**

**Thanksgiving is almost upon us, so I just wanted to say how truly thankful I am for all the support everyone has given this story! You guys are amazing! Thanks so much!**

**For Steven's training music, I picked Knuckle's theme "Unknown from M.E." from Sonic Adventure 2(with or w/o words) if you want to listen to it.**


	27. Chapter 27

Memories.

They may be forgotten at times. They can be repressed. But they can **never** be truly erased. The purpose of a memory is recollection for how to deal with present situations. Whether it's to put a smile on someone's face with something that brought you great joy, or to make sure a devastating feeling of hurt isn't repeated.

In this case, two younglings were about to learn the principles of battle within an ancient sky arena hidden within the clouds; whose scuffed stones were etched with the silent memories and experiences of those before them.

"Connie. What you are about to embark on isn't a game. Gems with an agenda to wipe out our home and our way of life are coming. They'll bring their most advanced technology, armadas, and even force those who have no desire to fight at all to join their conquest. I don't mean to frighten you or to sound harsh, but I needed you to understand the severity of the situation. **There is the possibility that you can die.** There can be no second guesses nor any doubts. We will not hold it against you if you decide that this is too big of a burden to bear."

With that, Pearl unsheathed a sharpened, straight-bladed sword with a silver, dome-shaped hand guard. She walked up and knelt down in front of the potential swordswoman. She held the blade out and asked, "Connie, do you choose to take up the ways of the sword?"

Connie stared at her reflection in the polished metal, then over at the boy next to her. She saw how he was wringing his hands nervously. She gave him a small smile of affirmation and he returned the gesture with a slight nod.

Connie grabbed the hilt of the sword and said, "I do. Before I met Steven…I was pretty much closed off. There was no life…I was just going through the motions. I guess in a sense…I was already…y'know."

Pearl smiled and nodded in understanding.

"But now, I've changed so much! I wouldn't even recognize my old self if she were standing right in front of me. I'm more than willing to put my life on the line to fight for not only what I've obtained, but for everyone I love!" She blushed a little when she finished her declaration; she meant her family as well as Steven, but in this setting it could've been taken **way** out of context.

"Me too! And we'll do it together!" Steven asserted as he grabbed her hand.

Pearl stood up and wiped the gathering mist out of her eyes. "You two **sniff** are going to become great knights! You already know the quintessential reason for fighting – to stop those that try to hurt the ones you love. That alone provides the motivation and strength needed to carry on in any battle" she said.

"Hey, that's just like what my copy mom said when she battled Jasper" Steven commented.

Pearl hummed in agreement and replied, "Your mother instilled that doctrine in us when we fought over five thousand years ago. Even when our backs were against the wall and we'd lose some battles, we never lost sight of vision we desired for when the war was over. To live in peace with the ones we cared about, and to be whoever we wanted to be without being subjected to the home world caste system."

"What's a caste system?" Steven asked.

"It's not important" Pearl quickly answered and Steven immediately shut his mouth. He realized that that was probably a tender subject for her. Especially since she didn't share what she went through after confronting those dark thoughts inside of her head.

"Now then, let's begin. First we start with a bow to show our respects to one another" she said and Connie humbly paid her respects to her sensei.

Then she did a quick pirouette and created a holo-pearl.

"Cool! Hologram Pearl!" Connie marveled, but Steven didn't share the same enthusiastic sentiment.

"_NOT COOL!" _he thought and instinctively pulled up his bubble shield to surround them.

"Steven?" she questioned.

"Hmm? Oh! Oh, sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry! Heh, reflex. You just **be careful** and I'll go sit over there." He made sure to extenuate the "be careful" part when he dismissed his shield.

"Don't worry Steven. I assure you that she'll be safe" Pearl confidently replied when she figured out why he summoned his bubble shield the moment she summoned her doppelganger.

He nodded and took a seat on the stone bleachers to watch the training session.

"Ahem, initiate beginner mode" Pearl commanded of her clone.

"LEVEL ZERO. BEGINNER SET. DO YOU WISH TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT?" the holo-pearl asked the protégé as she materialized her own sword.

"Yes" Connie quickly answered.

Pearl walked behind her student and held the sword with her.

"Alright, now everything begins with your stance" she instructed as they did a quick sword slice and made contact the holo-pearl's sword. "You have to keep your stance wide and low in order to achieve optimal balance."

"Huh. This is just like tennis. Only instead of having my body wide and open, my position is more…linear" she commented.

"Indeed. Being like this makes it easier for you to put your body into your attacks, provides more of an impact. If you just use your arm, it won't do anything" she commented.

"_Huh…just like Jasper said"_ Steven thought.

"Y'know, when we took Steven shopping, I played a tennis simulation game and I was quite surprised at how my swordsmanship skills adapted to the game. So I know without a shadow of a doubt that you'll be able to grasp this training quickly and easily" she smiled.

Connie beamed at the encouragement and they continued to work on her footwork.

A couple of hours went by as they trained, with Steven providing water and nutritious snacks every now and then to give her an energy boost.

All those years of tennis practice were really paying off. Her footwork went from tentative and jerky to fast and flowy. She was already striking the holo-pearl dead on; although Steven's heart skipped a beat every time he heard their swords clang against each other.

Fully convinced that his friend wasn't in any danger (well…wasn't in a life threatening situation), Steven decided to leave them be and continue his own training. And also to give his nerves a rest from being worried over Connie's safety.

* * *

As soon as the column of light safely deposited him back inside his bedroom, a frantic voice yelled "STEVEN!" Jasper picked him up and nearly squeezed the life out of him.

"Can't…breathe…" he gasped and she quickly put him down.

She knelt down to his level. He gulped when he noticed that her eyebrows were furrowed down in agitation (at least she didn't have that scary glare).

"Where were you?! I went looking everywhere for you!" she demanded.

"I'm sorry! Y'see, Connie came over and she was talking about wanting to be stronger. So I suggested that she'd learn sword fighting from Pearl" he replied.

"Wait…**Pearl** is training Connie how to fight?" she asked.

Steven nodded and said, "Yea, with a sword! She's a really fast learner too! Anyway I was watching them for a while, then I decided to come back and do some training on my own."

Jasper's facial muscles relaxed into a relieved smile. "Just…leave a note or something when you go somewhere. I can't…I mean…it's still too fresh in my mind y'know? You disappearing and not coming back. Just until I get over… being all over-protective" she tried to articulate.

"I'm sorry. I'll make sure to do that" he promised as she grabbed him for another reassuring hug. "So, where's everyone else?" he asked when they broke the embrace.

"Peridot's modifying the gem cutting machinery. And she **does not** like to be disturbed when she's working on new inventions, so it's best to leave her alone. Plus she revealed that they were a lot more cluster experiments besides the ones in the cavern. So Garnet, Lapis and Amethyst went to go look for them before they run into any humans" she somewhat lied.

"Oh! Let's go with them! Just let me call Lion so I can get my guitar out of his mane" he said.

Before Steven could run outside, Jasper picked him up and said, "Hold on cub! You can't go after them."

"What?! But I can help!" he asserted.

"I know you can!" she yelled back, but immediately toned down her voice when she saw how she made him flinch. She sighed, "S-sorry. It's just that…we don't want you anywhere near those things. I know…**we know**…that you worked hard to get your powers. Heck, they're the most amazing abilities I've ever seen! But we couldn't risk your mind being overwhelmed like that again, not to mention fighting a giant-sized, negativity monster."

And **that** was the truth.

"And Garnet would literally come undone if you had to witness her go into berserker mode again" she added.

Steven took in her explanation and sighed. It made sense. "Okay…" he dejectedly said.

"Hey now, you'll be helping those clusters and every other bubbled gem in that temple soon enough. Just…in a controlled setting" she assured as she put him down; he nodded in agreement.

"So, what kind of training were you about to do anyway?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Oh! C'mon! I'll show you!" he exclaimed as he pulled her by the hand.

He took her to another ruined part of the temple just below their house and said, "Watch this!"

He summoned two shields and conformed them around his fists to create his crystal knuckle busters. Just like he did earlier, he smashed that slab of stone into little pieces.

"…"

Jasper just stared at her charge with wide eyes, completely speechless.

"See Jasper!? I made my own set of knuckles busters!" he happily exclaimed.

Once the amazement over his new ability wore off, she let out a hearty laugh and proudly said, "That's my cub! I'll make a quartz out of you yet!" as she ruffled his hair.

He laughed from the praise, but realized "I wish I had some more stuff to practice on, but I'm running out of things to smash."

That jogged something deep inside of Jasper's mind. "I can't believe I didn't think of that earlier! C'mon Steven, let's go!" she commanded as she picked him up.

"Where are we going?" he asked as they entered the house.

"The Geode Dome" she answered.

"Wait! Let me leave a note for Connie and Pearl" he said.

She set him down and he quickly wrote where they'll be and stuck the note on the refrigerator. He joined her on the warp pad and the duo warped to the recollected destination.

* * *

"So what's the Geode Dome?" he asked while they were floating in the stream of blue light.

"You'll find out soon enough" she replied as the stream dropped them off in an area covered in thick vines and lush foliage. Surprisingly, the jungle area wasn't humid.

"…_Guess it has been while. Hope it's still intact"_ she thought as they walked along the still beaten, black soil path.

"Wow…" Steven marveled as he looked at all the different kinds of plants and how big they were. Then he heard a loud pop, followed by hissing. "What was that?!" he asked grabbing her leg.

"A steam geyser. I'm surprised there aren't more of'em. After all, this area used to be a volcanic wasteland" she explained.

"Wait…there's a volcano here?!" he asked as he looked around for a mountain with a crater on top of it.

"Yea, but it's probably extinct. By the looks of things, Mt. Tenebris hasn't erupted for a **long** time. I guess those volcanic minerals were good for growing all these plants" she commented as she brushed some huge elephant leaves out of the way so they could continue their trek.

"Mt. Tenebris? Why was it named that?" he asked.

"Blue Diamond named it that. Turns out it means **darkness** in some form of ancient human language. Makes sense since all that ash made the sky dark all the time. Of course, not much of a problem for us gems since we don't need to breathe and all" she commented.

"Well, I'm glad it's all clear skies now" he said.

"Yea, no kidding. Anyway, it was a perfect place to see what the new soldiers were made of, even before the war broke out" she explained.

"Wait…did Blue Diamond fight in the war too?" he asked.

"Not directly. She had her own things to deal with, so she'd send help whenever Yellow asked. In fact, she was the one who scouted out this planet for home world" she said.

"_Just like mom said"_ he thought.

After walking for a while, Steven asked, "Hey Jasper? What are quartzes anyway? Are they a type of gem?"

"Sorta. Quartzes, like Amethyst and myself, are the warrior class back on home world. We kept things in order with brute force. We're made to be big, strong, fierce, intimidating, and most importantly **loyal** to the diamonds. It's just part of our genetic code, so to speak" she explained.

"Oh…" was all he could say. "_Now it makes sense why Amethyst got upset. I wonder if she knows" _he thought.

"So when I said I'll make you into a quartz, I meant that I'll make you strong like one. Not just another muscled up **lackey**." she clarified.

"_I wonder what others classes there are. Maybe this has to with the caste system Pearl mentioned earlier" _he thought.

He was taken out of his musings when Jasper stopped and said, "Ah. Here it is."

But all Steven saw was a large collection of vines covering a sheer wall. "This is it?" he asked.

"…You may want to put your bubble shield up" she suggested.

Steven heeded his mentor's words and summoned his shield. Now that he was safe, she spun dashed through the thick vines to create an opening – sending debris flying behind her.

Once the whirling sound of her spinning stopped, Steven opened a small hole in his bubble and yelled, "Jasper! Are you okay?!"

"Yea, I'm fine! C'mon in" she answered from deep within the cavern.

He dismissed his shield and entered the subterranean tunnel. Lucky for him there were orange and yellow crystals embedded in the walls to light the way. Soon he caught up to Jasper and she announced, "THIS is the Geode Dome!"

The underground gladiator-type pit was surrounded by brick-colored stone bleachers that were still in pretty good shape considering how old the structure was. On the opposite side of the entrance, there was a section that looked like it had four gem decorated thrones. The entire area was illuminated by a humungous fire-colored geode embedded in the ceiling. The actual fighting area was raised from the pit itself.

"Whooooaaaa" Steven awed with starry eyes. They walked around through the bleachers to the throne section.

"Why is the battlefield so low?" he asked.

"Safety measures. Things got pretty heated whenever quartzes would fight, so they wanted to keep the spectators safe" she explained.

"Spectators? So you guys DID fight for fun" he assumed.

"No. **We fought to stay alive**. Of course your mom and the other diamonds were there to oversee the bouts. And warriors that had already proven their worth came to watch the new batch of quartzes fight each other because they wanted to see who made the cut and who their new teammates would be. But mainly they just wanted to get a kick out of seeing the newbies beat each other up til they poofed" she clarified.

"That sounds horrible" he commented.

"In retrospect…it was. I mean, you just emerge thinking you're all good to go and then you have to pass this test in order to remain intact" she said. "…_Good thing I didn't have to go through this. I would've died for sure" _she thought.

But she shook those depressing thoughts out of her head and declared, "But hey! Now we're gonna use it to our advantage!"

They reached the stone thrones and Steven ran his hand over an armrest that had a rose at the end of it. He looked up and saw that it had a pink stone decorating the head piece _"…I can't believe_ _mom used to sit here"_ he thought.

"Hmm…" Jasper ran her hand over the floor to brush some dirt off of the tiles. When she finished dusting them off, there were three tiles that had symbols carved onto them. "Let's see…ah! Here we go."

She pressed a tile that had a jagged triangle shape carved into it. Soon, some of the tiles on the battlefield opened up and a plethora of rock slabs rose out of them.

"Coooool!" he said.

"Just because they were fighting for their lives, didn't mean that they didn't have a chance to develop their skills before judgement occurred" she explained.

They climbed down the steps and entered through the archway to the battle arena. "Have at it" she commanded with a smile.

And Steven did just that; he summoned his knuckle busters and began punching with reckless abandon until all the slabs were reduced to rubble.

"Well done my little cub!" she complimented.

Steven rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "What should I do about all these rock pieces? Do you have a broom or something that I can clean'em up with?" he asked.

"I don't know what a broom is, but don't worry about the debris. In fact…they'll be used in your next lesson." She motioned for him to exit the arena.

"What'cha doin'?" he asked when he rejoined her in the throne area.

"You see those holes on the side of the walls?" she asked.

He went to the lower section of the bleachers and peered over the edge. "Yea?" he yelled back.

"Watch this. And get back over here!" she commanded and he ran to her side. She pushed the tile that had a circle on it. Suddenly, all of the rock pieces were sucked into the holes by a strong vacuum mechanism somewhere underneath the geode dome.

"Wow" he marveled. He wished he had that kind of sucking power when it came to the annual Beach City hot dog eating contest.

"Now that you've gotten accustomed to following through with your punches, time to work on your reaction to oncoming attacks" she explained.

Steven gulped – he had a feeling as to what was about to happen next. His nervous assumption was right when she pressed the tile that had what appeared to be three straight lines that curved at the end; it kinda resembled a wind gust.

A stone ball shot out of one holes and crashed against the opposite wall; the shards fell to the pit below the elevated battlefield.

"Y-you want me to dodge those?" he hesitantly asked.

"For the most part, yes. But I also want you to punch through some of them. Here, let me show you. When I say so, push this button, okay?" she asked. He nodded in understanding and she walked onto the battlefield.

She got into her defensive stance and shouted, "Alright, GO!"

With that he pushed the button and the stone ball shot out like a cannon. It was approaching from behind her, but she easily side-stepped.

"Again!"

This time the ball was approaching from the right side, but she destroyed it with a single hit. But the thing that caught Steven's eye was that she was grounded in her stance; almost as if she became the wall and the ball smashed against her.

With the demonstration over, she walked back over to the throne area and said, "Remember to be light on your feet when dodging. Also, conserve your energy by being firmly rooted into the ground and letting your enemy, or in this case the rock ball, hit themselves on your fist."

Sweat beads appeared on Steven's forehead as he apprehensively nodded. "Are…are you sure I'm ready for this?" he asked twiddling his fingers.

She knelt down to his level and said, "**I know you are**. After all, you were able to beat me with one arm."

Steven smiled and nodded. With his confidence boosted, he went back into the arena, summoned his knuckle busters and got into a defensive stance. "Ready!" he shouted and Jasper pushed the button.

The shot fired from his left side, but the loud sound startled him a bit so he couldn't dodge it. Fortunately he quickly summoned his bubble and the stone ball cracked into pieces against it. "_Darn it!" _he thought when the shield disappeared.

"Don't worry about it Steven! Like you said, the first one is always the hardest!" Jasper shouted.

He nodded and shouted, "Again!"

This time a ball shot from the front. He focused his attention on the incoming target, dug in and grounded himself. Just before it made contact, he smashed that stone into bits!

"YEA!" he gleefully shouted, although he had to shake out his arm because it tingled a bit from the impact.

"Well done!" Jasper smiled with starry eyes.

"Yea! I just pictured myself as this Hercules Beetle Pokémon that uses Endure and then I used my own version of Brick Break!" he explained.

"…_I really gotta understand what in the world this kid is talking about"_ she thought, then said, "Whatever works. You ready for more?"

"Uh huh!" he said.

Many hours passed while Steven worked on his reaction time. Just like with Connie, his steps were stiff and he had to pull up his bubble multiple times. But once he got into a steady rhythm, he was making it look easy.

"…_It's just like dancing!" _he realized as he dodged another bullet.

"Alright cub. I think it's time we called it a day" Jasper decided.

"What? But **yawn** I feel fine" he tried to assure her, but his yawning wasn't helping his case.

"Uh huh. C'mon, you don't wanna burn yourself out" she said.

"But I can **yawn** refresh myself now" he countered.

"True, but you're still half human. Your body isn't like ours and needs rest" she said, ending the argument.

"Awww…" he groaned as he trudged back up to the throne area.

"Don't worry little cub, there's still plenty left for me to teach you" she promised as she ruffled his hair. "Besides, don't you want to show Connie and** Pearl** what you've learned?"

"Yea! Let's go!" he cheered.

"_It sure is easy to change his mind"_ she thought as she picked him up and carried him out of the dome.

* * *

**_Back at the house…_**

The column of light dropped of the tiger mentor and her battle weary cub back inside their humble abode.

"Pearl? Peridot?" Steven questioned when he saw the two gems dismantling his microwave on the kitchen counter.

"Oh, h-hello Steven. Welcome back" Pearl stuttered.

He jumped out of Jasper's hold and cried, "What're you doing to my microwave?!"

"I'm sorry Steven, but I needed the magnetron out of this primitive radiation device in order to enhance the gem laser" Peridot explained.

He wiped away his tears and conceded, "O-Okay…if it's to help the clusters, I'll forgo my super deluxe Crying Breakfast Friends frozen breakfasts. And popcorn. And-"

"Steven, don't worry. I'll buy you a new one tomorrow" Pearl promised, cutting him off.

"…Why didn't you just buy one for the gem laser in the first place?" he asked.

"Uh…" was the only response they gave him as they looked at each other.

"Well…I guess I was in such a hurry that I didn't think about that option" Peridot explained while avoiding his gaze out of shame.

"That's a first. You not thinking things through" Jasper commented as she joined them and sat in one of the bar stools. That only added to the deepening embarrassment blush forming on Peridot's face.

"Well Steven, now you'll have a newer model that'll cook things twice as fast" Pearl interjected.

"I guess that's true. Can we get a red one?" he asked.

Pearl smiled and said, "Of course."

"Alright! Hey, where's Connie?" he asked.

"She on the beach practicing her sword swings. She said something about it being weird being inside your house if you're not here" Pearl answered.

"Cool! I'm gonna go show her what I learned today" he said as he ran out the door.

Once he was out of earshot, Peridot said "We need to finish this drill soon. Even though I told him the truth about why I needed the part, this whole hiding thing…it's creating this strange…sensation…right here where the organ known as a stomach should be. It's making me feel…really small."

"I know what you mean. When I told him where the others "were" and that he couldn't help, he looked so sad. I'm just glad that our training session cheered him up" Jasper replied.

"Both of you feel bad about keeping things from him. It's natural. But remember, it's all to keep him safe" Pearl reminded them.

"What about you? Don't you feel bad?" Peridot asked.

Pearl was quiet for a bit, then said "…I guess Garnet, Amethyst and I have been keeping things from him for so long that we've gotten numb to it. I always felt that he wasn't ready to learn about our **true heritage and culture**, but here he is figuring it out on his own."

"…Are you sure he wasn't ready or that **you weren't ready**?" Jasper asked.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about" she answered, avoiding her gaze.

"Mm hm" she hummed.

"…Well. I've gotten what I've needed" Peridot announced, dispelling the awkward tension. "I'll see you two back at the barn later" she said before disappearing into her room to do some more tinkering.

"I think I'm gonna see what those two are up to" Jasper said as she got out of seat and went outside.

Pearl silently followed suit.

* * *

**_Meanwhile…on the beach_**

"YAH HAH HIYAHH!"

"WOO HOO! GO CONNIE GO!" Steven cheered as he watched his friend demonstrate what she learned today.

And it was a lot! Rolling thrusts, horizontal and vertical slashes, and of course the new and improved overhead death strike.

"Wow Connie, you're a natural!" he commended.

"Th-thanks" she replied as a slight blush colored her face. "But these are just the basics. I still have a **long way** to go before I'm a master swordswoman" she commented as she touched her bandaged right cheek.

"Are you sure you don't want me to heal that?" he asked.

"I'm sure. Besides, now I look like a tough warrior just like Lisa" she replied.

"Yea…but what about your mom? What if she asks how you got cut? I don't want her to get upset like last time when Garnet told her we were playing with swords. Which I guess we are…kinda. I mean it's not a game, this is the **real** deal and-"

"Steven" Connie interrupted. "Don't worry about it. I'll explain everything to my parents and it'll be just fine, okay?" she assured as she rubbed his cheek.

"…Okay" he conceded.

"Now, show me what you learned!" she excitedly said.

"Well…there isn't that much to show. You already saw me smash through that rock on the beach with my knuckle busters. That's pretty much what I did" he explained.

"C'mon, there's gotta be more to it than that" she prodded.

So he went into detail about the Geode Dome and how he smashed through fast paced rock cannonballs.

"Whoooa…that's incredible! I would've been black and blue all over for sure" she commented.

"Yea, it was pretty intense. But Jasper believed I could do it, so that gave me the confidence I needed" he replied.

"…_I guess she isn't **so** bad" _Connie thought.

"Hey, do wanna try out some combo moves?" he asked.

"Sure! What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I thought you could step on my shield and I could launch you into the air. Then you'd do a spinning front-flip slash"

"Like that blue hedgehog?" she asked.

"Yea!" he replied.

"Alright, let's give it a try" she agreed and stood a few feet away from Steven.

He brought out his shield and said, "On three. One…two…three!"

With that, she sprinted towards him and jumped onto his shield. With a mighty throw, he launched her into the air in a perfect rainbow arc. She held her sword over her head and did a forward flip. Although the spin itself was perfectly executed, she didn't stick her landing and she fell onto the sand. At least she landed on her butt instead of her face.

"Connie! Are you okay!?" Steven asked as he rushed over to her.

"Yea, I'm fine" she replied as she brushed some of the sand off of her.

"Want to try again?" she asked.

"A-Are you sure?"

"Positive. After all, practice makes perfect" she smiled.

Steven returned the gesture and the young duo resumed their previous positions to practice the move again and again into the wee twilight hours.

Unbeknownst to them, they had an analyzing audience watching from the beach house deck. Pearl was positively beaming at her pupil's progress.

"Look at Connie go! Her studious yet tenacious spirit will undoubtedly make her a fantastic knight" she praised.

Jasper merely hummed in response as she leaned on the wooden rail.

"What?" asked Pearl.

"What?" Jasper repeated.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Pearl asked, sounding a little desperate.

"What's more to say? I already saw how feisty she was when she confronted me and Peridot. I think it's **admirable** that she even willing to fight…all things considered" she said.

"All what things considered?" Pearl curiously asked.

Jasper's eyebrows were slightly furrowed down and she spoke with a slight tinge of irritation in her voice. "She's **human. **Now granted, during the war some of the humans that fought on Rose's side during had impressive strength and tenacity, as you say, but they were still no match for a gem. **Especially a quartz**. I credit Rose's military tactics as to why they even successful in the first place."

"Well, with the proper training she'll be just as strong as any gem. Even stronger!" Pearl asserted.

"**No matter how you dress it up, you can't change what you've been born with. Either you got it or you don't. **Steven's a rarity in this instance. Not only is he a diamond, he's also a hybrid. He's immune to home world technology, not to mention he's able to do things that even Rose couldn't do. Space is the limit for him. For Connie, she'll grow and get stronger to be sure, but she'll still be human" Jasper countered, as she semi-glared at her over this pointless discussion.

That when they noticed that their two pupils stopped their combo practice.

Connie held a device to her ear and a moment later put it back in her pocket. Just by the way her shoulders drooped and how she kicked the sand, they could tell that she wasn't happy. They had a brief conversation and Steven slowly nodded his head.

"LIOOOOON!" Steven shouted.

A moment later, the furry confidant appeared out of nowhere and kicked up a dust cloud as he skidded across the sand. The two gems noticed the young king giving commands to his beast and he lowered himself so he and Connie could climb on his back. Just as quickly as Lion entered the area, the three of them disappeared through one of his self-generated warp portals.

"Where's he going!?" Jasper asked.

"Most likely taking Connie home. It is late" Pearl answered.

"…I just hope that she won't be a burden to him" she commented as she made her way to the door.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Pearl snapped just as Jasper put her hand on the doorknob.

She irritably growled; she was getting sick of her constant questioning. "What I mean is I hope Steven won't have to put himself in harm's way trying to protect her due to what she is" she clarified as she went inside.

But Pearl wasn't finished yet. "Steven would put himself in harm's way for any of us! **You of all gems should know that!"** she countered.

"Look! Why are you so uptight about all this anyway?! You asked for my opinion, you got it! I'm basing it off of what I've seen from humans in the past! Until I see otherwise, she is what she is!" she yelled.

"I'm uptight because it sounds like you're demeaning me!" Pearl retorted.

"What?! How'd you even get that from what I just said?! Now you're putting words in my mouth" Jasper seethed.

"You said it yourself. No matter how you dress it up, you can't change what you've been born with. So you're saying that no matter what I teach her, it won't amount to more than a pebble's worth of change! That's an insult to my fighting style and to what I went through to gain this level of mastery!" she screamed.

Jasper face-palmed her forehead with both hands and yelled, "OH FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD! You really are grasping for anything that'll make it so you don't return to your **former status** aren't cha?!"

Pearl's only reply was her blushing countenance.

"Now you listen to me. I witnessed how impressive your skills were when you fought Lapis in that chamber. It's obvious that you can hold you own against a corrupt gem, **but what about a gem built for fighting? **Have you ever bested Amethyst in a sparring match? Or how about Garnet? **How many times did you have to regenerate during the war?!" **she questioned as her scary glare manifested itself on her face.

Pearl was gasping for straws at this point as her mouth just hung open; there was no way she could tell her the truth.

Not like she needed to.

Taking her silence as confirmation to her earlier questions, she continued, **"**From what I've seen, your attacks are nothing but **glorified dance moves! **I mean seriously!? What's the point of spinning your spear around like that?!"

At that point, Pearl was shaking out of sheer anger. She clenched her fists until little veins revealed themselves on the backs of her hands.

"…Why don't I show you?" she quietly yet angrily responded.

Her gem glowed with a harsh white light as she summoned her spear. Pointing the blade directly at Jasper's gem she declared, "I challenge you to a duel in the Sky Arena!"

Jasper blinked a couple of times to register what she just heard. She showed her signature fanged smile and said, "I accept. Just try to last more than ten seconds" as she pushed the blade aside.

Pearl merely huffed and stomped over to the warp pad. Jasper followed suit, but made sure to stand far away from her (as much as the circular structure could allow).

* * *

The beam of light transported them to the ancient battlefield.

"So, fight til yield or fight til one of us poofs?" Jasper asked as they walked down the stairs.

"Til Yield. I still have an obligation to my pupil, **despite your deluded objections**" she answered.

Jasper merely growled. "_I swear this gem…Steven might need to sing another song…"_ she thought as they stepped on the scuffed tiles of the coliseum.

The two combatants faced each other; even though they irritated each other to no end, they still paid their chivalrous respects to one another by bowing.

"You can go first" Jasper smugly offered as she flexed her hand in a 'come hither' motion.

"Gladly" Pearl huffed as she sped towards her like a silver bullet.

Jasper merely put her hands up and became firmly rooted in her stance. But instead of charging through with a forward thrust, Pearl used her spear to catapult herself over Jasper.

"YAH!" she yelled as she threw her spear down at her opponent. _"That's right…block it you big lug" _she thought when Jasper summoned her helmet. "

…_Nice try, but I ain't fallin' for that"_ Jasper thought as she merely ran forward, effectively dodging the incoming projectile as well as the potential counter slash that Pearl would've inflicted on her back when she landed behind her.

"Grrrr…." Pearl irritably growled, frustrated that her first move ended up giving Jasper the momentum.

She quickly grabbed the spear that missed its target, summoned another one and began shooting energy blasts at the mobile gem. But Jasper evaded each shot by rolling up into her spin dash form. Then she changed direction and headed straight towards Pearl at full speed!

The lithe gem knew that dodging was pointless; it was as if the striped warrior was locked onto her every movement. Plus, she was never good at playing chicken.

Instead she held her weapons parallel to each other and pointed them at the ground at an incline, creating a little ramp. "_I'm gonna flip her like a Pearlcake!" _she thought.

Just as Jasper was about to roll over her blades, she stopped on a dime while still spinning!

The wind stream that was tailing her blew past the whirling gem and knocked Pearl off balance, causing her to stumble a bit and cross her weapons like an X in front of her.

Sensing her chance, Jasper resumed her trajectory. But instead of just ramming into her, she unfurled right in front of her and performed a spinning backflip kick to knock Pearl's weapons away. Rendered defenseless, Jasper followed up with powerful right punch, connecting square on the star symbol on her chest.

"GAHHH!" Pearl grunted from the blow; she was sent her flying towards the stands and unfortunately those seats would "help" her stop.

**CRACK**

Her limp body fell from the mini depression that was inadvertently created from the impact and landed face first on the scuffed floor.

"Uhhhhh…aaaagggg" she moaned as she turned over onto her back.

Before she could even think about sitting up, Jasper forcibly grabbed her by her wrists and held her hands above her head. She laid her massive body on top of hers so she smother any chance of her moving.

"Yield" Jasper growled as she pressed her helmet against Pearl's cream-colored gem.

Pearl bit her bottom lip and furrowed her eyebrows, trying to stifle any disappointment laced tears from leaking out of her eyes. After a couple of seconds of the intense stare-down she finally gritted out, "I…I yield."

With those two magic words, Jasper immediately let go of her wrists and got off of her. She crossed her arms and peered down at the beaten gem. "Guess I was right" she commented.

"Tch, this duel doesn't prove anything!" Pearl spat as she stood up.

Jasper raised one eyebrow and frowned. "…You're right. All it did was **reinforce **what I already knew. Either you got it or you don't. **Especially in my case**. If it wasn't for the fact that I was made a quartz, even if I was a **puny** one, and the fact that Yellow was low on soldiers, I wouldn't even exist!" she said.

Pearl didn't have an answer, instead she just looked at the ground.

"Well…at least you lasted **eleven** seconds" she said as she started to walk past the silent gem.

That is before her bony fingers latched onto her muscular arm. "This isn't over! I was trained by Rose herself! I'll show you that I'm stronger than **any gem**!" she seethed, glaring daggers at Jasper.

"Then I'm impressed at what she was able to accomplish with **her** possession" she retorted and Pearl immediately flinched from her words.

"Don't you remember what Steven told us about her? After she renounced her diamond status, out of all the gems she could've chosen to be called, she chose to be a **quartz**. She may have not have wanted to be seen as a shackle, but she certainly didn't want to lose her **respect** either. In other words, that's the reason why she didn't choose to be a lower**…_lower _**class gem. At least that's my opinion**" **she stated as she brushed her fingers off of her arm.

Before she walked up the stairs, Jasper uttered "The reason why you lost is because you didn't have a clear mind. If you're this easily rattled…then Connie is already done for."

"ENOUGH!" Pearl shouted and the echoes of her voice reverberated throughout the cloudy area. "…Just you wait" she gritted through her clenched teeth.

"…Alright" was the only response she got from the victorious gem as she exited the coliseum…leaving the battered gem behind.

Now that she was out of sight, Pearl collapsed to the ground and pounded away at the floor beneath her. Her tears washed away some of the dirt that had accumulated over the centuries.

"I can't fail…I won't fail!" she declared as she wiped her eyes.

She stood up and summoned a dozen holographic doppelgangers. The mini platoon simultaneously asked, "DO YOU WISH TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT?"

"…Master Level" Pearl commanded as she summoned two spears.

The holo-pearls followed suit by summoning their own swords. All of their eyes narrowed and turned red as they eyed their opponent. "COMMENCING DUEL" they shouted and the fight for reestablishing her self-worth began and it lasted until the early hours of a new morning.

* * *

**Man...and everything was going so well in the beginning too. How will Jasper's and Pearl's budding 'rivalry' affect Connie and Steven? Stay tuned for part 3, which should be up this week. I actually split this chapter in half so it'd be an easier read.  
**

**So from what I've seen so far, Pearl loves/strives for being right(especially in Warp Tour) and gets offended easily if something contradicts her thinking. Not to mention she is a perfectionist, so she could be easily rattled. And hates being perceived as weak. **

**And I figured Jasper would be a 'show me what you got' kind of person before she changes her mind about certain things. Plus she's very confident about her fighting abilities since she was built for it. So she's not arrogant per say because she can back it up, but she definitely comes off a bit...rough. And she's more of a person that acts on impulse, ex. ******when she didn't think things through with her plan for Peridot.** **

**But that's just me. **

**This is my first time writing an action scene, so I hope you guys were able to picture everything okay.  
**

**I based the Geode Dome name off of the Georgia Dome because the falcons are my favorite team. Yea I'm weird like that :). **

**Thanks again for all your comments, favs, follows, and even taking the time to read this story. You are all amazing! See ya later! **


	28. Chapter 28

The afternoon sun blanketed the seaside town in a comfortable warmth; its rays filled with nourishing vitamin D revitalized everyone fortunate enough to bask in its glow.

Thankfully Steven could still bask in some of the life-sustaining sunlight, even though he was indoors. He settled for whatever sun rays he could get through his window as he laid in bed with his eyes closed. He was refreshing his strength from an early morning training session with Jasper; so in retrospect, he already filled his vitamin D quota when she had him climb Mt. Tenebris ten times.

As the pink hue around him around disappeared, he slowly opened his eyes and sat up.

"_I guess even that pink bunny needs a break every once in a while" _he thought as he stretched his arms up. He looked around his empty room and sighed. "…Guess they're still fightin' clusters" he surmised.

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK**

The recognizable knock against the screen door put a smile on the young king's face. It knocked loneliness right out of the park for he knew exactly who it was. He rushed down the stairs and answered the door to greet his equally excited friend.

"Hey Steven!" Connie said.

"Hey Connie!" Steven smiled as he let her in.

"So how did things go with your parents? Are they okay with you training?" he asked.

"More or less. They actually took it pretty well…although mom did hyperventilate a bit. But once I told them that I'd get just as hurt in tennis practice, they relented. Especially when they remembered the concussion I suffered in the tournament. Plus, I told them you could heal me whenever I get hurt…although dad didn't seem to like that too much" she explained.

"…Okay?" he said, still not sure if she was in the clear or not.

Picking up on his confused tone she clarified, "I can train, so long as I'm careful and I don't do any weight training. Lifting weights at our age could stunt our growth. Well…at least for me. I'm not so sure about you since you're half gem. But either way so long as I don't do that, I'm good to go!"

"Alright!" he fist pumped.

Connie giggled at his enthusiasm. "Oh yea! Since we're training, I figured we could use some proper training clothes. So mom and I went shopping and I picked this out for you."

She reached into her black tennis duffle bag and pulled out a white outfit with a red sash and red and black lines along the bottom of the pants.

"What's this?" he asked holding the garment.

"It's called a kalari. They wear these kinds of training clothes in India, where my parents are from. More specifically for **Kalaripayattu, **a kind of fighting style. In fact, kalari means 'battlefield'" she explained.

"Sooo cool" he marveled with starry eyes.

"Yea! And check out the back" she said.

Steven turned the outfit around and little suns replaced the stars in his eyes when he saw the design. "It's a lion!" he exclaimed.

Indeed. On the back was a profile of a black lion's head, tribal – stylized surrounded by a star composed of an intricate zig-zag pattern.

"Wow, this is AWESOME! Thanks Connie!" Steven cheered as he gave her a big ol' hug.

"I'm glad you like it! We found it in this place called "Ali Baba's Treasure" she explained.

"Hey, that's where Lapis picked out an outfit for me. I was wondering why these zig-zag designs looked so familiar" he recalled.

"Well…go try it on!" she excitedly said.

Steven nodded and rushed into the bathroom to change. A couple of minutes later he emerged to show off his new threads.

"Hmmm…" Connie went over to him and adjusted his sash and top so they'd fit a little better. "How does it feel? It's not too tight is it?" she asked after she finished her adjustments.

"It feel great! It's really comfortable and not tight at all! Thanks so much!" he beamed.

"Your welcome!" she smiled. "Oh, here are the shoes that go with it. I got it size eight wide. I hope they fit."

Steven put on the black slip-on shoes and walked around the room to feel them out. "Feels good to me! Thanks! And I just thinking that sandals might not be the best footwear to train in. Guess we're psychic buds now" he stated as held his hand up for a high five.

"Guess so" she smiled as she answered the five.

"So…let me see yours! You got one too, right?" he asked.

She nodded and went inside his bathroom to change. A moment later she came out wearing a blue kalari with a red sash, matching blue shoes and with her hair braided.

"You look so pretty!" he marveled.

"Th-thank you" she blushed.

"Do you have a design on the back too?" he asked.

"Oh right! Let me show you" With that she turned around and Steven couldn't help but smile.

"An owl!" he exclaimed.

On the back of hers was a similarly stylized white great horned owl, surrounded by the same star pattern.

"This is so cool! The Lion King and the Fierce Owl fighting side by side" he declared.

"And nothing will ever beat us so long as we stay together!" she finished and they burst into a fit of giggles.

"Oh man, I can't for the gems to see us!" he said.

"Speaking of, where are they?" she asked.

"Jasper was here when I woke up and we did some morning training, but she told me that she had to go with everyone else to find the rest of the clusters. Apparently there were a lot more than just the ones we saw in the cavern. They don't want me anywhere near them because they don't want a repeat of what happened last time" he explained.

"Oh…" she responded.

That's when she noticed that his cheerful spark dimmed a bit when he looked at the ground. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yea…I mean I get it. I just want to help" he replied.

"Well…you're helping by getting stronger, right? Just think of all the cool things we'll be able to do once we're master warriors" she assured.

A small smile revealed itself on his face and he said, "Yea…you're right!"

"So will Pearl and Jasper come back? I know Pearl said to come at noon for our training, but I came early because I wanted to give you your gift" she explained.

"I don't know…I just hope they're okay" he responded.

As soon as he said that, a column of light erupted from the warp pad, depositing the sword mentor herself…looking a little worse for wear. Her hair was a little messy, she was coated in a layer of dust and her outfit had a few tears in it.

"Oh Connie! You're here early. Excellent! Promptness is always a good trait to possess. Shall we get started?" she causally asked.

"Pearl, are you okay?" Steven asked as they ran up to her.

"Hmmm? Why do you ask?"

He pointed to her clothes and understood immediately. In a flash of light, her clothes were restored, the dirt was gone and her hair went back to its pristine pointy shape.

"Were there that many clusters to fight?" he asked.

"_Clusters? …Oh right!"_ she remembered. "Don't worry Steven, I'm fine" she assured as she patted his head.

"Okay…but I'm here if you guys need any help" he stated.

She smiled at him and said, "Thank you, but it'll be okay. We'll collect them all and you can do your thing then."

He nodded and then exclaimed, "Pearl! Check it out! Connie got us these cool training clothes. What do you think?" as he did a quick spin.

"I think you two look absolutely adorable" she smiled.

"And tough, right?" he asked; he still had his 'large man' image to maintain (or at least try to).

Pearl chuckled and replied, "Of course" as she ruffled his hair.

The two children smiled at each other and Connie said, "Now we're just like Son Goku and Son Krillin."

"Yea! Students of Master Pearl and Master Jasper!" he beamed.

A slight scowl appeared on Pearl's face when Jasper's name was mentioned; luckily the young prodigies didn't notice.

"Well then, we should be off" Pearl stated and Connie climbed on the warp pad. "And Steven, you're more than welcome to join us in case **she** doesn't show up" she invited.

"Okay!" he acknowledged.

"Bye Steven!" Connie waved.

"See ya Connie! Wait…you need snacks!" he realized.

"It's okay, my mom packed me some" she assured as she patted her duffle bag. Soon the magical light whisked them to the ancient battle site.

* * *

When they arrived at the Sky Arena, Connie was a little shocked by the current condition of the coliseum. The floor was riddle with sword slashes and she didn't remember seeing so many huge chunks of rock along the perimeter.

"_Whoa…what happened here?"_ she thought as she walked by the mini crater in the stands.

"Alright Connie. Let's begin with a sparring match."

"Yes ma'am!" she responded and she set her bag on an undamaged area of the stands. She took her training sword out of her bag and met her sensei in the middle of the arena.

Pearl summoned her doppelganger and it spoke, "DO YOU WISH TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT?"

"Yes" she answered.

"ASSIGN LEVEL"

"Level two" Connie replied.

Pearl raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure?"

Connie nodded and replied, "I'm sure."

The eyes of the holo-pearl turned red and said, "COMMENCING DUEL."

The dueling hologram started off with a horizontal slash, which Connie easily parried. Then she went on the offensive with a series of forehand and backhand horizontal slashes, but it only made contact with the holographic sword. Just as Connie went in for a thrust, the holo-pearl jerked to the left, dodging it. It was about to strike with a vertical slash, but she managed block it by holding her sword over her head. "DEFENSE RANK S. ZERO OPENINIGS DETECTED" it stated.

Pearl smiled at her pupil's progress, but her delight quickly turned to concern when her clone knocked the sword out of Connie's hand and sent it flying towards the stands.

"OPENINIG DETECTED" it realized and was about to come down with an overhead strike.

Just as Pearl was about to intervene and stop the match, Connie quickly dodged the incoming blow by jumping backwards. The hologram's sword got stuck in the ground for a brief moment, but that was all she needed.

"YAAAH!" she yelled as she drew her arm back and punched through the hologram – **right through its chest**.

Pearl was completely mortified at what she just saw. Flashbacks of last night's duel replayed in her mind. She was brought out of her thoughts when the holo-pearl said, "CHALLENGER WINS. DO YOU WISH TO DUEL AGAIN?"

"No!" Pearl sharply answered and she dismissed her doppelganger.

Her icy tone and disapproving glare caught Connie off guard; she thought that she would've been pleased. After all, she **did** win.

"What was that?!" she furiously asked.

"I'm sorry! I know shouldn't of let my sword get knocked away!" Connie quickly apologized.

"Not that! Disarming your opponent is sword training 101, and I'll be teaching you that today. What I meant was why did you use that move?!" she asked.

"…The punch? Well, since I was disarmed, I'd figured I'd used some of what Steven learned from Jasper-"

"You are not under her tutelage, **you are under mine. **You're not built for that kind of fighting, you need a sword" she stated cutting her off.

Connie stared at her for a second, trying to figure out why she was so bent out of shape over using someone else's technique. Then she looked down at her kalari and realized she was wrong. "That's not necessarily true" she respectfully countered.

Pearl looked at her incredulously, shocked that her pupil not only talked back to her, but said that she was **wrong**.

"There are millions of people that have trained in the martial arts to make their bodies living weapons. For example, Kalaripayattu uses swo-"

"Enough!" Pearl shouted and Connie immediately shut her mouth. "I've seen humans employ those same tactics during the war and it didn't do them any good because gems can make their bodies as hard as **steel**! They were only successful with weapons! So unless you want to **die,** you will follow my teachings only. Am I clear?"

Connie looked at the ground. Pearl may have had a point with physical attacks not working against real gems, especially gems that'll have advanced technology at their disposal, but she didn't need to sound so harsh. But Steven was the one who gave her the opportunity to train; she wasn't going to blow this chance by being offended by her tone of voice.

"_She's probably just stressed from the clusters popping up everywhere, and worried about my safety. Mom sounds the same way when she's scared over me" _she thought, then quietly replied, "…Yes ma'am."

Pearl nodded and said, "Very good. Now…let me show you how disarm an opponent so that you're **never** put in this situation ever again." She picked up the stray training sword and summoned another holographic clone to demonstrate the next lesson.

* * *

_**Later that night…**_

"Oh man Connie, I gotta take you to the Geode Dome! Jasper activated this floating stone race track called the Rev Circuit. It's where different quartzes would practice their spin dashes. They would work on balance and learning how to stop on a dime because some of the track pieces would shift around like those moving platforms on Dark Koopa's road. How cool would it be to ride our bikes on that track?!" Steven beamed as the sweaty trainees sat on the sherbet colored beach with Lion behind them to keep watch.

"…I don't have a bike. I-I never got the hang of riding one" Connie embarrassingly answered as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"Oh. I could teach you, if you want" he offered.

"I'd like that" she smiled.

"Awesome! Anyway, she told me that some of them would lose their patience and try to jump to the other side, but they'd miss and fall into the lava" he explained.

"There's lava in there?!" Connie worriedly asked.

"No no! The volcano's completely extinct! It's all dry in there" he assured.

"So…what kind of training did you do? Can you do a spin dash now?" she asked.

"Sorta. I thought it'd be cool if I could use my bubble shield as a battering ball, that's why Jasper activated the Rev Circuit. I need a lot more practice though. I can't tell you how many times I fell over" he said.

"You didn't suffer a concussion did you?!" she asked.

"No…at least I don't think so. The strange thing is even though it looks hard, it's actually really soft inside of the bubble. At least for me anyway. But I did figure out how to create a row of spikes on the bubble so I have some traction. Heh, now I'm a pink hedgehog!" he said.

"I guess so" she smiled.

"After that, we had target practice. She was rolling along the track and I had to try and hit her with my shields. I got her once, only because she let me, but after…pphhht" he raspberried as he pointed his thumb down. "She just kept changing direction at the last second on me!"

Connie thought for a minute then suggested, "Maybe you can trap her in between two shields, like throw'em and get'em stuck in the ground to create a little fence. Then she'll be stuck! And even if she tries to jump into the air, she'll still be an easy target since there won't be any way to build momentum."

"That's a great idea! I'll do that tomorrow. Thanks Connie!" he exclaimed and Connie smiled, pleased as punch she was able to help.

"So after that we went back to combat practice. She taught me how to throw uppercuts and effectively block. I even used those rolling moves you showed me last night to evade her punches."

"…And was she okay with that?" Connie asked.

"Yea. She told me the most important thing about a battle is not to get hit. I mean, how can you win if you're hurt? Although…she was getting a little frustrated. I kept running around, get a quick bop in when there was an opening and run around some more" he grinned.

But he soon noticed that Connie was a little…out of it as she just stared as the receding shoreline.

"_Did I say something wrong?"_ he thought, so he asked "Connie? Are you okay?"

"…I don't know honestly" she replied.

"What's wrong? You can tell me" he assured as he grabbed her taped-up hand. Even Lion came up and sat behind them to offer his silent support.

She sighed and told him what happened to her during the sparing match with the holo-pearl. "I mean I get it, I'm not as strong as you or any other gem. But it just felt like…I don't know…like…oh never mind. It's not important" she said.

"Connie, that's not true. Your feelings are important. **You're important**" he firmly stated.

She showed a weak smile but it quickly went away as she stuttered "I-It felt like s-she was underestimating me. Made me f-feel like I was an underdog."

Steven was quiet for a moment, then said "Well…you already know what to do."

"What?" she asked, wiping the mist out of her eyes.

"Prove her wrong, just like you did to everyone at that tennis tournament! Pearl and Jasper may teach us the basics, but in the end we modify it to suit us. Like how you used what you learned in tennis practice and what I showed yesterday to defeat that holo-pearl. I'm sure that Pearl didn't mean to make you feel that way. I know how stressed out the gems can get over protecting me, **especially after what just happened.** I'm sure she just had a flashback of the war and got really scared and lashed out. Jasper did that to me yesterday because she couldn't find me since I was watching you guys and assumed the worst." Steven explained and Connie nodded.

"But if you ever feel like-"

"No Steven! I meant what I said when I agreed to start my sword training! I'm not gonna quit just because I got offended (which I really shouldn't have in the first place) over a misunderstanding!" she declared.

Steven smiled and nodded, glad that the fire had been reignited within her.

"In that case, what did you learn today? And why are your hands all bandaged up anyway?" he asked.

"Pearl taught me how to disarm an opponent and it's definitely harder than it looks. Here, hold my sword and I'll show you."

The duo stood up and Lion lifted his head to watch the demonstration.

"Like this?" he asked as he held the sword in a normal attack angle.

"Perfect" she replied as she got underneath it. "So the trick is to cross your arms and catch the blade with the back of your hands while still grasping your sword, so that you remain armed even after disarming the opponent" she explained as she held the sheath in place of her sword.

"Try swinging at me" she ordered.

Steven hesitantly nodded and did as he was told. He swung the sword at a medium speed, and Connie performed the move gracefully and pointed the captured blade at him.

"Whoaaaa…" he awed.

"Yea…it took all day for me to even get like this" she said.

"That's still amazing! So can you catch a sword with your bare hands?" he asked.

"No. Definitely not. Pearl said it was impossible and I agree. My hands would be chopped off for sure."

Steven shivered when she said that.

"Besides, I've already gotten enough cuts from the backhand move. Not only that, but gripping the sword all day gave me blisters. But Pearl…patched me up and told me not be discouraged…"

That's when it hit her.

"_She does care" _she realized. "Man I'm such an idiot!" she yelled.

"What? About what?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just had a big 'duh' moment. I'm okay" she assured.

"Okay…well, I know you didn't want me to heal your cheek, but what about your hands?" he asked.

"…Yeah, that'd probably be a good idea. I don't need my mom and dad freaking out and changing their minds" she agreed.

With that, Steven gingerly took her hand and unwrapped the blood-soiled gauze. When he was done, he stared at them wide-eyed with shock. There were numerous clean cuts on the back of her hand. Most of them were pretty shallow, but there was a big on that looked like it would've cut through the bone!

"Connie! Doesn't this hurt?!" he incredulously asked.

"At the time it didn't" she sheepishly said.

Steven didn't waste another second! He licked his palm and rubbed the healing saliva over her slashed up skin and blisters. A moment later, the blistered palms and lacerations were fully healed.

"Like it never even happened" he declared.

"…That's a reference to something, I know it" she said.

He just shrugged his shoulders and went on to heal the other hand. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. Thanks Steven" she smiled as she flexed her hands.

"No prob Bob. Dr. Steven is always in" he said giving her a thumbs up.

Then she closed the distance between them and gave him hug. "And…thanks for…everything else" she shyly said after breaking the hug.

"Anytime. Just remember to do your best. That's all I can ask for. After all, this Fierce Owl has only begun to fly!" he declared.

Connie laughed at his terribly accurate pun. _"He's such a goof…a kind, brave, and lovable goof"_ she thought as they climbed on top of Lion so she could go home and rest up for tomorrow's lesson.

* * *

_**Back at the Barn…**_

Miscellaneous parts were scattered on the lawn around the somewhat dilapidated barn. Although they were primitive compared to home world standards, it would suffice for the task at hand. All it needed was a plan, and fortunately the green scientific prodigy had one.

"Alright everyone! I finished the blue print for the drill!" Peridot proudly announced and everyone gathered around her and took a seat on the ground to see what the plan was. She expanded her fingers to create a large holo-screen so that everyone could see.

"Ahem. With the present materials we've assembled and separated into organized…clumps"

"Piles" Amethyst corrected.

"Right…piles. We should be able to recreate an enhanced version of a kindergarten crust probe." Peridot moved her finger across the touchscreen to show the design for the drill.

It was an elongated, oval-shaped subterranean vehicle with a massive drill head at the front of it. On the sides were three large road wheels surrounded by a spiked track held together by flexible links.

"WOW! Is that a nitrogen enriched split ion dual propulsion engine?!" Pearl excitedly asked while smugly looking over at Jasper.

"Uh…yes. Yes it is. You…know about engine engineering?" Peridot asked, surprised that a Pearl of all gems would know something about technology.

"DO I?! I'd heard that these were only in the developmental stages. I can't believe how far home world technology has come. This puts those old hydrogen cells to shame" she said.

Diamonds appeared in the tech gem's eyes as she ranted "Ugh, I know right? I read all about them and even built some as side project when I was first created but oh my rock! They were sooo archaic and insufficient-"

"Yo wonder nerds! Enough of the techno-babble already" Amethyst groaned.

"Amethyst is right. Peridot, please continue with the overview. We can discuss the specifics of the components later" Garnet ordered.

Peridot embarrassingly blushed and said, "Yes, of course. My apologies."

"I'm sorry too. I was just so excited to have a sophisticated conversation about such advanced technology" Pearl boisterously said, garnering strange looks from everyone, including Jasper.

"_That's right. Not so high and mighty now, are you Jasper?"_ Pearl thought as a cheeky grin appeared on her face.

"…_Okayyyy"_ was the collective thought that everyone shared, but they brushed it aside for now and listened to Peridot.

"Normally these machines would only burrow about three feet into a planet's crust to gather a sample, which was sent back to our scientists to see if the planet was suitable for gem production. My…former superior always stressed that we couldn't waste time initiating a full on drill project on every planet that was scouted out, that's why she had these built. With my modifications, this machine will withstand up to three hundred and sixty gigapascals of pressure and temperatures of nine thousand eight hundred degrees."

"Since the cluster is composed of millions of gem shards, I suggest that we build three of them and each one can be handled by groups of two. It would take way too long for a single vehicle to cut up the cluster. **sigh** I wish it were possible to control them from up here using a wireless connection, but no signal can reach that deep underground" she said.

Lapis looked at the ground, shifting her gaze from side to side. Garnet picked up on this nervous movement and put her hand on her shoulder. Lapis looked at her and Garnet whispered, "_We'll talk later"._ She slowly nodded and they resumed listening to the plan.

"The only components we'll need now are drill heads, which we can obtain from the kindergarten injectors. Titanium carbide, depleted uranium and tungsten for the armor. And we still need a strong enough see through covering, similar to that of the windows inside of Steven's room" she explained.

"I can handle getting the glass" Garnet stated.

"And I have a lot of have scrap metal and military tanks in my room. We could use those" Amethyst added. Then she nudged Pearl in the ribs with her elbow and whispered, _"Told ya that stuff would come in handy._"

Pearl merely huffed and crossed her arms.

"How long do you think it'll take to build these…whatever you're going to call them?" Lapis asked.

"Based on my calculations…no more than fourteen earth rotations. And I was thinking about calling them the super nitro accelerated burrowing modulators" she excitedly replied.

"Uh…no" Amethyst flatly said, which deflated the enthusiasm of the tech gem.

She turned around, crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks. "_Tch, I thought it perfect! These gems just don't know a good name when they hear one_" she thought.

"…Amethyst" Garnet whispered.

"What? It was stupid!" she quietly retorted.

"Regardless, now she's pouting. You hurt her feelings" she said and a pang of guilt stabbed at her heart. Even without her leader telling her to do so, she knew she had to fix this. She knew how it felt to be put down.

"Hey, c'mon Peri don't be like that. The name's just a little long, that's all. How about we shorten it. Let's call it…the Turbo Mole" she suggested.

Peridot turned around to face the purple gem, raised one eyebrow and asked, "…What's a mole?"

"Here I'll show you" Amethyst replied as she shapeshifted into the furry underground creature and burrowed in her spot.

"Wh-where'd she go?" Peridot asked as she scanned the ground.

"SURPRISE!" the purple mole shouted as she popped up out of the ground in front of her.

"GAH!" Peridot yelled as she fell over and in turn dispelling the holo-screen.

"AMETHYST!" she yelled.

"Sorry Peri, I couldn't resist!" Amethyst laughed.

Peridot grumbled as she stood up. Pearl covered her face with her hand and sighed in exasperation at her antics whereas a tiny smirk appeared on Garnet's face. Lapis noticed it and looked at her with a _'really?'_ look.

"Well…it was funny" she whispered and Lapis just shook her head in disbelief.

Jasper didn't even pay attention to hilarious chaos that ensued. Instead, her mind was on the machine. She put her hand to her chin and thought, "_…Something's off, but what? What?!"_ As she un-flexed her bicep, something clicked inside of her head. "…Of course!" she realized as she lifted her arm a couple of times just to make sure it stuck.

"Anyway this is a mole" Amethyst answered.

"…A furry earth creature that likes to dig?"

"Yep" she nodded.

"…And you want to name our machine after that?" she incredulously asked.

"Uh huh. Besides…it sounds like something Steven would say" she responded.

As soon as she said that a small smile appeared on everyone's faces.

"Yea, that sounds exactly like something he would say" Jasper agreed as Amethyst transformed back to her normal form.

"We're not going to stay away from him all that time are we?" Lapis asked.

"No. One of us will be with him throughout the day. He's still a child. He deserves to have fun and not just train all the time. Speaking of, I'm limiting the training time to three hours a day. Steven may be able to refresh himself, but Connie can't. Not to mention they're both human. Too much training could dangerously overexert their bodies. **And I do not want to see them stuck in bed going through their own recovery processes" **she asserted with a shaded glare.

Jasper and Pearl gulped and nodded their heads.

Garnet returned the gesture and continued, "At least he'll have Connie by his side for now, until her other responsibilities limit the time they can spend together again. Starting next week, she'll only get to come over once or twice a week, if she's lucky. That's when he'll need us."

"I get first dibs" Lapis stated.

"Wh-what?! I thought we couldn't do that!" Peridot said.

"You can do dibs on anything, so long as it's not a necessity" Amethyst explained.

"She's right. You called dibs on the bathroom, a room needed for him to carry out an essential bodily function. One that's optional to you since gems don't need to eat. Lapis merely claimed a day to be with him first. You'll still get your turn. You'll live" Pearl assured.

"…_Speak for yourself"_ Peridot thought as a blush crossed her features.

"Not to mention once all this cluster madness is over, there'll be no limit to how much time we'll be able to spend with him. But I'm still going first" Lapis asserted.

"Well, then I'll go second" Garnet said.

"Third" Jasper said.

"You don't get a turn! You're with him every day!" Peridot complained.

"That's for training, not for…what's the word…hanging out. Instead of questioning me, you should call dibs before you go last" she countered.

She gasped and claimed, "Fourth! I call Fourth!" while waving her floating fingers around frantically.

"Fifth for me" Amethyst said. "Guess that leaves you last P."

"Well you know what they say, save the best for last" she commented with a smug grin.

Now that the 'who gets to be with Steven' issue was settled, Lapis asked "And where exactly is the cluster located?"

"…Underneath the kindergarten, about twenty kilometers from the warp pad site" Peridot replied.

"Then…shouldn't we build it over there? I mean, I think having three enormous drills on the outskirts of town might draw some unwanted attention. Not to mention we are using Greg's barn. What if he comes up here to get something?" she asked.

"Hmmm…those are all valid concerns. However working in the kindergarten is an absolute no go. We could be ambushed by those gem experiments and they could tear up the machines while we leave them alone. Not to mention…I'd rather not work in that area. **Too many recent bad memories"** Garnet shuddered and the rest team nodded their heads in agreement.

"…Yea" Amethyst silently added.

"Well…there is a ravine in the forest a little ways from the kindergarten. I saw it while I was…trying to escape from you guys" Peridot silently added. "Anyway, it's secluded. Maybe we can build there? And I can add a force field around the site so no one can touch our stuff" she suggested.

"That's a great idea" Jasper said as she stood up and ruffled her hair.

"W-What're you doing?" she demanded.

"Hm? Oh, sorry. Force of habit" Jasper apologized as she retracted her hand.

"…Well…I don't mind it…**too much**" she whispered.

"In that case…" Amethyst said as she pounced on her.

"What're **you **doing?!" she angrily asked.

"What? I thought you said you didn't mind Peri" Amethyst said as she messed with her triangular hairstyle.

"Not so hard!" she yelled in a squeaky voice and Garnet pulled Amethyst off of her.

"Okay Amethyst, you've had your fun" she smiled.

"_I swear these backwards gems and their complete disregard of personal space…"_ Peridot thought as she brushed herself off.

"Alright gems, let's take this stuff over to the ravine and get to work" Garnet ordered and everyone scattered to different piles. Peridot and Pearl went over to the same pile to gather as many items as they could carry.

"Y'know Pearl, I was actually surprised at how knowledgeable you were about technology…with you being…y'know" Peridot awkwardly commented.

"**I know.** In fact I actually built a space craft out and an EM wave disrupter of these spare parts" she boasted.

"Really? Out of these primitive pieces?" she asked.

"Mm hm. I am a gem of many talents" she said, a bit louder since Jasper was within earshot of her.

"That's good, that'll be a big help when it comes time to assemble the components" she replied.

"Speaking of" Jasper said walking over to where they were. "About the Turbo Mole, how exactly is it going to drill into the crust?" she asked.

"Uh…with the drill head of course" Pearl caustically answered with a roll of her eyes.

"That's not what I meant" she said with a slight a glare. "Here" She grabbed a piece out of the pile. "Say this is the Turbo Mole. Is there some kind of **lifting** mechanism to tilt the drill to the ground? If not, then all it's going to do is drive straight" she demonstrated with the piece of scrap.

"Uh…" Peridot pulled out her holo-pad and looked at the blueprint. "There will be now. Good eye Jasper" she said as she did some quick modifications.

She just smiled at her former subordinate, but turned around and showed a fanged sneer towards Pearl.

"Ugh!" she groaned before storming off.

"You know, this'll be an easy adjustment with some hydraulic lifts. And with Lazuli's water powers this'll be a snap! Now I just need to figure out how to keep the water from evaporating from within the pipe" Jasper walked with her as she continued to ramble on about certain parts, only understanding little bits and pieces of her techno babble.

However, unbeknownst to the trio, Lapis and Garnet watched the whole interaction; Amethyst was already walking towards the kindergarten with a large load over her head.

"Hey Garnet? Does something seem a bit…off between Jasper and Pearl?" Lapis asked.

"That's putting it nicely. There's a rivalry brewing between those two, and I don't like it" she said adjusting her shades.

"Shouldn't we do something?"

Garnet stared into space for a moment then sighed. "…No. Both of them will learn a valuable lesson in the most unexpected way" she said.

"…If you say so. But I don't understand. After everything that Steven went through…what he did for us…we're still doing the same thing that got us to that breaking point in the first place!" Lapis exasperated.

"**The speed of change differs for every person.** To be honest, Steven only removed **one layer** of what was going on inside of me. Who knows how much he took out of everyone else. But I'm glad he helped me with that first layer because the first step is always the hardest. That's why I asked him to be patient with us. He gave us the opportunity to change ourselves, and I'm not going to waste it" she stated and Lapis nodded in agreement.

"In their case…their pride will be trigger that'll cause the biggest change within them. After all, **pride goes before destruction, and arrogance before a fall.**" Garnet finished.

"I don't like the sound of that" Lapis said.

"Trust me, everything will be fine. It'll take time but it'll all be worth it in the end" she assured.

"…Will Steven be a part of this?" she asked and Garnet nodded.

Lapis sighed and said, "Even when we try to protect him, we still hurt him. Why can't we just leave him out of it?!"

"Because that's not who he is. He **wants** to be around people. To listen to them, play with them, help them. With a nature like that, it inevitable that complicated matters will be placed upon him, whether we want them to or not." Garnet answered.

"**Because we feel comfortable around him that we can show our real selves"** Lapis realized.

"Mm hm. C'mon, let's catch up" and they started walking.

"So…any reason why you were nervous about burrowing underground?" Garnet asked.

"Well…its just that I wouldn't be much use. The heat will mess with my water powers and…and…"

"Lapis. It's okay, you don't have to say it. You don't have to go if you don't want to. I'm just grateful that you're helping us build these machines" she responded.

"Of course! It's the least I can do!"

"Besides, I have a greater mission for you in mind, but I'll tell you when the time comes" she assured as she put her arm around her slender shoulder.

"…Okay" she said as she grasped Garnet's hand with her own for support.

"…_Please let this be outcome that comes to pass"_ the leader thought.

Even though she could see the result of many possibilities, it still didn't stop the anxiety from building up inside of her over waiting for them to come to pass. Especially since time was of the essence.

* * *

"**C'mon cub! You gotta keep moving! If I was a Jet, I would've caught up with you in a heartbeat!"**

"Don't be so cemented in your stance Connie! Remember, right foot, left foot! Light as air!"

"Follow through with your strikes! Put your whole body into it! Remember what you're fighting for! You want them to live don't you?!"

"**Put some more muscle in your hits Steven! That felt like a breeze! Yellow Diamond won't crack from a wimpy hit like that!"**

"**Now that's what I'm talking about! Good job little cub!"**

"Excellent! Well done my little knight!"

* * *

The chorus of corrections and encouragements rang throughout each master's respective domain. Since they were on a limited schedule, the two gem mentors made sure that their trainees were pushed to their limits during each training session.

Even though they were worn out, Steven and Connie always found the strength to recount what they learned and share a laugh in between, with most of the comedic relief being provided by hybrid king.

Same thing couldn't be said for Jasper and Pearl. Jasper's air of superiority clashed with Pearl's bitter envy to the point that the two of them wouldn't even speak to each other. Jasper always made sure to arrive at the house a couple of seconds after Pearl, just to stride off the warp pad with her head held high just to spite her.

And as a cherry on top, she would ask Steven, "Ready to get back to learning some **real** fighting?" Of course being the good-natured, oblivious boy that he was he nodded his head and followed her to wherever she had in mind for more exercises.

An irritated blush appeared on Pearl's cheeks, but she quickly dismissed it when she remembered she was in Connie's presence. "Well, we certainly won't be left behind! Ready for more **proper techniques** my fearless knight?" she asked and Connie replied with a "HM!" coupled with a serious gaze.

Their simmering, irritable aura may have went unnoticed by their pupils, but it wasn't the case for the rest of their comrades. It was already bad enough having the threat of the cluster making them on edge, but Jasper and Pearl's rivalry made it worse, especially for Peridot and Amethyst.

Garnet and Lapis could only watch from afar as even the slightest word from any one of them made them flinch, especially Peridot.

"Garnet…please. This has been going on for two days. I think Peridot might crack if Jasper says her name one more time. And Amethyst…it's weird seeing her so quiet. Normally she'd be ready to blow the whistle and call them out" Lapis observed.

"Looks like Steven's song developed some patience in her" Garnet replied.

"I'm serious Garnet" she asserted.

"So am I. Listen…I don't like this anymore than you do, but it needs to play out. Come tomorrow afternoon, it'll all be settled" she responded.

"A little hint would be nice" she said.

"Sorry, but I can't. If you saw what I saw…well…let's just say you'd probably turn into that water monster again" the leader replied.

"Garnet…"

"Lapis, please. As your leader and friend…all I ask is for you to trust me" she said as she looked at her with unshaded eyes.

Lapis relented and nodded her head. "…I hate waiting" she muttered.

"You're not the only one" Garnet commented as she put her glasses back on.

* * *

The said afternoon that Garnet prophesized would cause big change within the bitter rivals was business as usual for Steven and Connie. Except for the fact that Jasper didn't show up at her usual time.

"Hey Pearl? Where's Jasper? Normally she's right behind you. Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Everything is…fine. She just got…held up. She'll be here soon" she forced out with a smile.

Although…if she possessed a stomach right now, it would've been twisted into knots with every syllable she spoke. "_I hope she doesn't show up at all"_ she thought as she recalled what happened just moments before she arrived for the designated training session.

* * *

"Alright Jasper, can you hold this plate in place while I weld it? Garnet, I'll need you to smooth out the molten metal so it's all smooth. Lapis, can you cool the metal after she's done please?" Peridot asked as she modified her limb enhancers to the correct tool.

"No problem, after all this is what I was **built for**" she replied as she picked up the heavy armor plate and held it against the Turbo Mole skeleton.

Pearl puffed her cheeks out at the subtle snarky response. "Perdiot, is there anything you need me to do?" she eagerly asked, looking for a chance to knock her down a peg.

"No thank you Pearl" she replied as her five digits welded the plate in place.

"Yea P. Take a load off and relax. I think you need to since we've been working around the clock" Amethyst said as she laid down on a bale of hay.

Garnet summoned her gauntlets and pounded the hot metal to shape it. Then Lapis cooled it down and the piece was set.

"Good work" complimented Garnet.

"Well it helps when you have the right gems for the job" Jasper commented, causing Pearl to grit her teeth and wring her sash in her hands.

"Speaking of job, isn't it almost time to train Connie and Steven?" Lapis asked.

"Oh yes! You're right!" Pearl exclaimed as she clapped her hands in front of her. Just as she started running toward the warp pad, Peridot asked, "Jasper? Aren't you going too?"

"I'll be there in a few. I want to get the rest of these plates on. Besides, Steven will be fine. If anything, he won't need me to teach him anything else pretty soon. It just comes so naturally to him. He definitely has a quartz warrior within him" she commented.

Pearl stopped on the outskirts of the ravine when she heard that. "…He nothing like you!" she said under her breath and continued on to the kindergarten pad.

* * *

"Y'know Steven, you could train with us for a bit, if you want. Might as well start learning how to use **your** sword" Pearl offered.

"A-Are you sure? I don't want to mess up anything. Plus…I don't want you to get…stabbed again…because of me" he quietly said, but Pearl still heard him.

She put her hand over her chest; her illusionary heart went out to him. "_So __**that's**__ why he always asks her what she learned from me…he wanted to practice on his own without hurting anybody"_ she realized.

She knelt down in front of him and said, "Steven, what happened before was a misfortunate accident. I don't blame you for what happened so please don't blame yourself."

"…Okay" he replied wiping his eyes.

She smiled and gave him a hug. "And besides, learning any new skill will take time. There may be some bump and bruises along the way."

"I can definitely attest to that" Connie chimed in.

"But once you get it, that sense of pride and accomplishment will make it all worthwhile" she finished.

"Just like when I could turn my shields into knuckle busters" he realized.

"…Exactly" she said.

"Okay, I'll come. But I'll just watch for a while if that's okay."

"Of course you can; you're an excellent visual learner" she replied.

"You guys go on ahead so you can warm up. I just have to get some things and I'll be right there" he said.

"Alright. See you in a bit Steven" Connie said as the two of them warped to the Sky Arena.

Steven got his cheeseburger backpack out of the closet and put some snacks and a couple of water bottles in it. Then he grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a note for Jasper, saying where he'll be. And last but not least, he ran out the door and down the steps to the grassy alcove.

"Lion!" he called.

Thankfully his furry friend was there just snoozing away; his ears perked up when he heard him.

"Hey Lion? Can I have my sword please?" he asked.

Lion closed his eyes and his mane started to glow. Steven reached inside and pulled out the sacred sabre. "Thanks Lion. See ya later!" he said as he ran back up the stairs; Lion merely yawned and continued his siesta.

"Hey guys! Sorry I took so long!" Steven announced as he ran down the stairs.

"You didn't take long at all. We just finished our warm-up stretches" Pearl said. Then she turned to her pupil and asked, "Ready Connie?"

"Yes ma'am" she answered as she got into the standard fighting stance.

With that, Pearl summoned a holo-pearl. "DO YOU WISH TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT?" it spoke.

"Level 8" Connie answered.

"CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. COMMENCING DUEL" it replied as its eyes turned red.

Connie switched up her stance by being in a low side squat and held the sword over her head with her left hand. She made the first move by charging towards her opponent with an overhead vertical slice, but it was parried by the holo-pearl.

She kept on the offensive with a horizontal slice, but the copy pearl blocked it again by pointing her sword down. The doppelganger countered with a horizontal strike of her own, near Connie's head!

But she ducked effortlessly to avoid the hit. Then Connie sprang into the air and came down with a quick overhead death strike, but the hologram blocked it again!

"_C'mon Connie! You can do it!"_ Steven mentally cheered; he couldn't tear his eyes away from the amazing duel taking place.

Connie must've heard him due to their "psychic connection" because she performed a sweeping low kick to knock the doppelganger to the ground. She then thrusted the sword into its chest, ending the match.

"_That's just like what Amethyst did to Jasper" _Steven realized, then instinctively looked over at Pearl to see how she'd react.

She had her arms crossed, but she was grinning from ear to ear with diamonds in her eyes, the complete opposite of what Connie told him.

"_Guess its okay now" _he thought.

His train of thought came to a halt when he heard the holo-pearl blip in and out of existence. "**bzzzt** CHALLENGER WINS! DO YOU WISH TO DUEL AGAIN?" it glitched as it congratulated her.

"No thank you" Connie replied and Pearl dismissed the hologram.

"Excellent work Connie!" Pearl praised with a bow.

"Thank you ma'am" Connie replied with a bow of her own.

"Yea Connie, that was amazing! I can't believe you're already at level 8 and it's only been five days!" Steven exalted as he rushed over to them.

"O-oh, well…I have a lot to motivate me I guess" she sheepishly answered as her knightly persona slowly faded away under his starry gaze.

"Indeed. You are the perfect example of how **hard work and dedication** can cause anyone to achieve whatever they desire!" Pearl happily exclaimed and Steven nodded in agreement.

"Steven? Do you want to try?" she asked.

"R-really?"

"Of course, no time like the present. Besides, I see that you brought your sword. It's about time we made you a master with it, just like your mother" she said.

"Yea Steven! You can do it" Connie encouraged as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"O-Okay" he replied as went over to his stuff and grabbed the pink sabre. He got into the standard position and instead of a holo-pearl, Pearl was facing off against him.

"Y-You're going to fight me?" he asked.

"I'll be your **sparring partner**" she corrected. "I'd figured you'd be more comfortable going against me than a holo-pearl. But if you're not-"

"No, it's fine. I'll be okay" he said.

"And I'll be right here to you to help you out too" Connie offered.

"Thanks" he replied and she smiled.

She stood a ways away so she could observe the training session while still being there to support him whenever he needed it.

Just as soon as they bowed to one another, a booming voice called out "STEEEEVEN!" Everyone turned around and saw Jasper standing at the top of the stairs.

"Jasper!" Steven excitedly called out. He gave Connie his sword and ran up to her when she reached the middle of the arena. Pearl scowled at the striped disrupter.

"Sorry I'm late, and thanks for writing that note" she said as she scooped him up.

"You're welcome and don't worry about it. Pearl was about to train me" he said.

Jasper shot a quick despairing glance at the lithe gem and said, "Good thing I came when I did. C'mon cub, let's go" she said as she started to walk away while holding him.

"W-wait, but" he tried to articulate but it fell on deaf ears.

Fortunately, Pearl was able to articulate for him. "Hey! In case you haven't noticed we were in the middle of a training session!" she yelled.

"…If you want to call it that" she commented, not even turning around to acknowledge her.

That disrespectful act pushed Pearl over the edge. She ground her teeth together and clenched her fists; this would be the last time that she would let another snide comment spew out of her mouth. "Now listen here you **overgrown rock head**!"

Jasper stopped in her tracks before she reached the first step. She turned around and displayed her signature scary glare.

The children gulped when they saw that, but Pearl was too riled up to even let that intimidate her.

"You're on my turf now and I'm not going to allow you to come and do as you please with one of my pupils, **especially since his own mother used a sword!**"

With that outburst, Jasper set Steven down and walked over to the huffy gem. Steven didn't even know what to say or do; he didn't even know why they were acting like this in the first place!

Instinctively, he ran over to Connie's side. The two of them watched helplessly as their two mentors squared off against each other in verbal combat.

"Now **you** listen to me" Jasper seethed as she pointed her muscular finger right in her face. "I beat you on your so-called turf so that means that this area belongs to me! I can do whatever I want here!"

"_So that explains the damage from earlier!" _Connie realized.

"And as far as Rose using a sword goes, it was nothing more than another arsenal piece to compliment her natural strength and abilities. If that copy was any indication, the real Rose was more than capable of taking down gems with her bare hands. At least that sword was more useful to her than some **defective accessory trying to play soldier**" she spat.

"Why you…! You think we're playing here?! **I** **am** teaching real skills for a real encroaching danger to our world! To think you'd insinuate anything else is absolutely asinine!" Pearl countered.

"All you've done is dance and prance around like you're in a show! **Like how you were programmed to be.** Pretty attacks aren't going to cut it in the upcoming fight against Yellow Diamond! And even if they could, your **predictability** will cost you!" she shouted.

"Pretty? PREDICTABLE?! Then predict this, you pebble brain!" Pearl yelled as she harshly grabbed Connie by the arm.

Steven was still shocked by the irrational madness taking place before his eyes. But his friend's cries snapped him out of it.

"OW! P-pearl what're you-" Her protest was cut off when was she pushed in front of her livid mentor.

"Connie's developed skills as a fighter and it surpasses anything that you were ever born with!" Pearl stated.

Jasper smirked at the pretender mentor and said, "Alright. It's time for my cub and I to put you and your so-called skills in your place…permanently."

"H-huh? GAK!" Steven gagged when Jasper grabbed him roughly by the back of his kalari. She dropped him in front of her (luckily he managed to stay on his feet).

"CONNIE!" She flinched when Pearl yelled her name.

"STEVEN!" He nervously turned around to answer Jasper's call.

"I want you to show her what hard work and dedication can do, no matter who they are!"

"I want you to demonstrate the natural power you possess, the lethal inborn ability you inherited from your kin!"

"Wh-what?" the children skittishly asked their fury blinded teachers.

"I ORDER YOU TO DUEL HIM!"

"I ORDER YOU TO DUEL HER!" They both simultaneously commanded.

Connie and Steven stared at their respective mentors with gaping wide eyes, too stunned to even contest them. When their glowered gazes convinced them that they were serious, they slowly turned around to face each other.

A breeze blew through the ancient sky arena, carrying with it the dried soil that covered the tiled floor. The millions of particles, each one left by the feet of dozens of fighters, silently plead for this duel not to occur. They didn't want to have this memory added to their sorrowful history…how a conceited fight over a pointless debate could possibly snuff out the light of two young, noble knights.

* * *

**Not the children! Tell me who saw this coming. With their burning desire to prove themselves right, Jasper and Pearl have put their pupils in a terrible and dangerous predicament. I almost hate to ask...but who will win? Stay tuned for part 4 of "Strong in Which Way?"**

**Just as a heads up, the next chapter won't be up until after Christmas. Lots of studying and shopping to do. But it's all good since I'm doing what I enjoy and hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well and all its game references and the gems drawing lots for a day with Steven.**

**I based the Turbo Mole off of the one they used in SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron. **

**I can't believe it's been 8 months since I wrote the first chapter and here we are at the end of the year. I just really want to thank you all for reading, reviewing, and even PM me with ideas and advice. Thanks so much and enjoy your holidays!**

**Research is so cool, I had no idea Connie's outfit was from Kalaripayattu.**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Pick your favorite boss music.**

* * *

Thunder.

Even though the clouds in the sky were as white as snow, the crackling noise could be heard within the electrically charged atmosphere. But this piercing sound wasn't created nor heard by natural means. Instead…it was felt by the two younglings being forced into a mashindano by their irate gem instructors; the rumblings shook them to their core.

Neither Connie nor Steven moved a single muscle. They just stared at each other, completely baffled about why they were even in this situation in the first place!

Their hesitation agitated their teachers even further.

"WHAT'RE YOU WAITING FOR?!" they simultaneously roared, causing the frightened children to slightly jump in place.

Connie almost dropped Steven's sword because she was shaking so bad!

The young king wasn't faring too well either as the criticizing outcry caused tears to spring from his ducts. He looked up at Pearl, trying with all his might to articulate any words that'll get them to stop this duel.

But nothing came out.

His motherly figure wasn't even looking at him. Instead her gaze was set on the striped warrior behind him. Her glare rivaled hers in intensity.

"Just you watch! My knight is going to show you how **fierce** she is!" Pearl proclaimed as she grabbed her student by the shoulder, startling the skittish child even further.

"Hah! Don't make me laugh! My cub is going to show you why **kings **are born, not made!" Jasper countered as she pushed him forward. He stumbled a little but managed to stay upright.

"Ste-" Connie was about to say his name until Pearl initiated the same action and pushed her further towards her distraught friend.

The two children made eye contact once again and both of their eyes widened at each other's state of being.

Steven could feel the anxiety building up inside of her. If her breathing got any shorter, he was afraid that she would go into a full on panic attack, just like at the rave!

But she wasn't concerned about that.

Just seeing Steven's watery eyes and hunched position as if he was going to throw up brought back flashbacks of his recovery process!

Their concern for each other snapped them out of their terrified state of mind and they stood up straight and tall. Two words that their supposed mentors shouted rang in their heads and they muttered so only they could hear it.

"…Lion **King" **

"…**Fierce **Owl"

With that, a pink glow shone through Steven's white kalari and he summoned his shield, albeit a little bit bigger than normal.

Connie gripped the surprisingly lightweight sabre, leaned back into a side squat and held it over her head with her left hand.

After a tense motionless moment, Connie made the first move and charged toward the hybrid boy. Steven followed suit a second later, charging headway towards the inevitable collision with her.

Pearl and Jasper watched with narrowed, anticipated gazes - eager to see who would win the first move.

Connie held the sword across her body, as if she was about to do full body horizontal slash, whereas Steven held the same stance with his shield, ready to knock somebody's head off.

"YAAH!" they yelled as they finally converged.

But instead of their weapons clanging against each other, Connie stepped onto Steven's shield and he flung her into the air behind him!

"_What the?!"_ the pure gems thought, but Jasper had to think faster when she realized that Connie was executing a perfected front-flip slash right towards her! She narrowly dodged the potentially fatal blow; Connie's strike created a huge crack in the floor while spraying stone splinters in every kind of direction.

Before Pearl could even comprehend let alone gloat about what transpired, Steven flung his shield like a discus right at her head! She managed to dodge the attack. Good thing she did too because that throw cracked the head off of one of the ancient statues that surrounded the arena, specifically the one holding the **longsword**.

Pearl and Jasper gulped when they realized that that could've been their gems. Without a second thought irritation coursed through their bodies and they yelled, "WHAT'RE YOU TWO-"

"Shut up."

The young king spoke without a raised voice, but the way he articulated himself sent shivers down their illusionary spines.

Everything went still; the clouds ceased their flowy movements. The wind didn't stir the dirt, finally allowing those distressed spirits to rest upon their tile markers.

"W-what?"

"You heard me" he snapped with a cold, hostile stare.

Pearl immediately shut down under his constricted pupil gaze. She never felt such animosity from him before, not even when he was mad at her for her Rose rant. Sweat beads slid down her forehead. It had been some time since she was this scared. All the horrors of the war, Garnet's berserker mode, even Rose's temper…nothing even came close to what she was experiencing right now. Facing the usually happy child as if he were…a **true, home world diamond.**

Jasper's mental psyche wasn't faring too well either. She looked at the rather deep indent in the floor, then back at the glaring human in front of her. Her teeth were clenched in a menacing snarl. Her natural spiky locks went limp as she, of all gems, cowered under the hostile aura emanating from those two.

Like boiling water inside of a teapot, the pressure became too much and Steven was the first to go off. "What is the world is wrong with you guys?!" he shouted through his angry tears.

Pearl and Jasper just stared at him, completely baffled as to why he and Connie were behaving like this.

Due to his heightened emotional sensitivity, Steven ran his hand through his hair and exasperated, "I can't believe it! You two **really** have no idea why we're so mad?! You made me fight against my best friend, **against our will**! That's just like what home world does to gems!"

Pearl and Jasper didn't have a second to let that sickening realization sink in before Connie faced her sword mentor and followed up with her own rant. "…Now I understand why you we're so upset when I used what Steven learned from…her. You weren't concerned about my well-being at all! All you cared about was proving that your way of fighting was right! Is that why you agreed to train me in the first place?!"

"N-no I-I" Pearl stuttered before the lava of rage continued to flow out of Connie's mouth.

"And who FREAKIN' cares what techniques we use so long as we win?! We've been learning how to fight so we can protect our home and those we care about!"

"Yea! What happened to the doctrine that my mom instilled in you?! You'd think she'd like this?! This would be like if someone forced you and mom to fight against each other in the Geode Dome!" Steven continued as he joined in on ganging up on Pearl.

"And you…" Connie seethed as she turned around to face the spineless striped gem. "…I can't believe I thought you changed. You're still the same despicable gem that hurt Steven…just to prove how strong you "are." How can you possibly be proud of yourself for beating up and using** a child?!" **she cried.

Every word that came out of their mouths felt like daggers. It felt as though they were cutting and burning into their imaginary skin, causing them to crumple under their hurtful, yet somewhat truthful, accusations.

All Pearl could do was hold one hand over her mouth and clutch her core with her arm. She felt like she had eaten some of Amethyst's oatmeal concoction, but this was a million times worse.

Jasper just stared at the floor, her far away gaze obstructed by her hair. She was shaking, grinding her fangs and clenching her fists until her knuckles popped out of sheer rage. Not at the children, but at herself.

When she reformed the day after Steven, **once again**, put his life on the line to literally fight one part of the negativity that was swirling around inside of her, she swore that she wouldn't have anything to do Yellow or any other diamond for that matter.

"_And what do I do? I ACT JUST LIKE THEM!_" she thought as she ran her hands through her hair and collapsed to her knees. She wanted to scream, roar, anything! But the tears streaming down her face were her only way of communicating her inner disgust.

But these outward expressions of regret came too little too late as far as the little warriors were concerned. Still, Pearl knew she had to do **something** before their relationship was shredded permanently. "S-Steven…p-pl"

"Save it" he coldly retorted.

"He's right. Why should he believe anything that **you** say? Even after all the love and forgiveness he's given you over what you **said**, after everything's he's done…nothing's changed. You're still the same. I should be surprised by this, but in retrospect…**I'm not.** **You two don't deserve someone like him."** Connie bitingly followed up.

And just like that, that last thread that was holding their relationship together was cut by that last dagger laced with rage and betrayal.

With that final declaration, Connie assumed her battle stance and Steven summoned two shields.

But something was different…**dangerously different.**

Instead of being a dark pink, the vines on his crystalline weapon were grey, turning darker with each passing second. And unbeknownst to all of them, little black vein-like lines were spreading like a plague across the rose shaped pommel and guard of the pink sabre.

"W-what're yo-"

"**To stop those that try to hurt the ones you love**" they chanted before going after their respective opponent.

* * *

Self-preservation mode kicked in as the two distraught gems snapped out of it in time to avoid their initial attacks. But Connie kept up the pursuit and went after Jasper's feet with sweeping sword slashes to try and get her off balance. Steven morphed his shields into the knuckle busters and swung punch after punch at Pearl, eventually landing a strong right hook to her abdomen.

"GAH!" Pearl yelled as she clutched her side.

She willed herself to remain upright. She knew that he wasn't messing around and couldn't afford to be floored. Steven followed up with a charging straight left shot, but Pearl countered his hit by making her body as hard at steel. However, the impact pushed her back quite a bit. She could feel the power behind his punch as its shock waves reverberated throughout her tiny frame, paralyzing her momentarily.

"AH-AHH!"

Steven quickly turned around when he heard Connie yelp. He saw Jasper holding the sword by its guard, along with Connie's hand!

"L-let me go!" she yelled as she kicked and trashed about, even landing one hit under Jasper's chin.

She brushed aside the stinging sensation for now as she desperately tried to reason with the livid child. "C-Connie, please listen-" but her pathetic defense for her actions were cut off when she heard a whirring sound coming towards her.

She looked up and saw Steven's shield coming right towards her head! She barely had enough time to tilt her head to the right in order to dodge the head-splitting discus.

But he wasn't a fool.

"Emotional clarity" he internally chanted as he clenched his remaining gauntleted hand. The shield bended to his will and morphed into a boomerang. The weapon returned to its master, but not before slamming into the back of Jasper's skull with a vengeance. It knocked the titanic warrior to the ground, causing her to release her grip on Connie and the sword.

"GAH! Grrrooooowwww" she moaned as she rubbed the back of her head. Even if her body could be made as hard as steel, it didn't matter if she was caught off guard.

In her dazed state, she didn't notice that Connie recovered from the fall and grabbed the sword. She jumped back and got into a low squat position.

Pearl shook off her paralysis in time to witness her pupil preparing herself for perform the ending blow.

"_NO!"_ she frantically thought as she bolted past Steven, leaving him surrounded by the dust of the fallen warriors.

Connie jumped as high as she could into the air, pointing the blade down once she reached the apex of the rainbow arc. "YAHHH!" she yelled as she speedily dove down upon her stunned opponent.

**CRASH CLING**

The deafening sound of weapons colliding against each other wrought Jasper out of her dazed state, and what she saw stupefied her senses completely.

There was Pearl, the pretender solider she had so viciously deemed, standing in front of her…**defending her…**with two spears drawn and held crisscrossed over one another blocking the attack of the enraged child.

Pearl allowed the blade to slip past her defenses, just far enough so she could grab Connie's hand and the guard. With a quick pirouette, she removed Rose's sword out of her grip and tossed her towards the other side of the arena as gently as she could. But with the natural momentum being redirected, it was a bit more forceful than she intended.

"CONNIE!" Steven yelled as he ran over to catch her.

"OOF!" Well…at least he caught her.

The momentum of the throw sent him off the ground as well. But he summoned a bubble shield with little spikes on the outside so they wouldn't roll off the demolished edge of the floating battlefield. The stirred up dirt created a little cloud around the bubbled fighters.

"P-Pearl…" Jasper stuttered as she stood up.

But she didn't even hear her; her eyes were glued to the ground as she let Rose's weapon as well as her own fall to the ground; the latter disintegrating into diamond fractals. She held her throbbing gem as dozens upon dozens of thoughts ran through her head, but the one that stood out was _"…What have I done?"_

* * *

Inside the protective bubble, Connie laid on top of Steven in a tangled mess of limbs.

"Connie! I'm sorry! Are you okay?" Steven asked he moved his foot out of her face.

"I'm…fine. But what about you?!" she gritted out.

"I'm okay. Glad I brought up my bubble when I did" he replied.

"Heh…just like the first time we met…you protecting me from danger…and that's how it always will be!"

"Huh?"

"I couldn't even land one hit on Jasper!" she fumed as she pounded the floor of the bubble with her fist. "And I get your sword taken out of my hands! What kind of knight…no…**what kind of friend** **am I** if I can't even protect you!?" she cried.

Steven forcibly grabbed her hand and said, "Don't you dare think that way about yourself!"

Connie gave him his full attention as he continued, "You stood up for me more times than I can count! You gave me great ideas on how to better use my powers! You don't have to be strong to be **strong. **I know that sounds weird but its true! Your intellect and resourcefulness are off the charts! You're the cinnamon on a donut!"

It took a minute for her to make the connection to the food analogy, but once she got it, she couldn't help but crack a smile.

"And your compassion, bravery, and insightfulness are out of this world. You're the sugar for sure" she said.

"…I think it's time that Jasper and Pearl see that themselves" Steven seriously stated.

"I agree. Time for them to face the Fierce Owl and the Lion King" Connie replied.

"**Together" **

With their minds focused on the single objective, the rose quartz gem responded to their inner desire.

* * *

"_Steven hates me…Steven hates me! Oh my rock, how could I have been so blind?! I'm a monster! My gem should be shattered for what I did to him and Connie!"_

"Uh…Pearl?" Jasper asked trying to get the lithe gem's attention, but tears streamed out of her dilated eyes as she continued to run her hands through her hair.

"_I'm a traitor to Rose's ideals! I'm a defective piece of trash. She's right. I don't deserve him or anyone else for that matter. A wretch like me doesn't deserved to be loved…" _

"PEARL!" Her train of self-depreciating thoughts came to a halt when Jasper shouted her name.

"What?!" she hoarsely shouted; she was **not** in the mood to be told how weak she was right now. The sinister voices inside of her head told her that plenty of times.

"Look!" Jasper pointed.

She looked over at the swirling dust cloud over where she flung Connie.

"STEVEN! CONNIE!" Pearl yelled as she tried to run over to their location. But powerful shockwaves kept her and Jasper at bay.

"What's going on?!" Jasper asked.

"I don't know, but we have to help them!" Pearl yelled back as the floor rumbled beneath their feet.

Soon a bright light erupted from the swirling spot of dust; it was pink, but tainted with a sickly dark-purple hue. Dread coursed through the wide-eyed mentors as the light turned darker with each passing second. Even the dust clouds that were swirling around the ghastly beacon began to dissipate from the light source, as if they were being repelled by the beastly power taking form.

Suddenly, the pink sabre levitated off the ground and quickly sped towards the sickly light. As soon as it made contact with it the light vanished, causing a massive shockwave to erupt - nearly sending the gems flying into the stands.

Well…Pearl almost was, but Jasper grabbed her arm and held her close to her muscular body.

"Nnnngh…gggghh" she grunted as she shielded Pearl and herself from the wind stream and debris.

Soon there was nothing but eerie silence.

Slowly cracking their eyes open, the duo saw a pair of eyes glowing with a purple haze. Soon a tall figure emerged from the dust cloud. Jasper eyes widened at the sight whereas Pearl's complexion became as white as a ghost. Her body went completely limp from the fear; Jasper had to hold her up so she wouldn't collapse to the ground.

"Oh…my…rock" Pearl silently uttered when the new sword wielding, shield bearing being finally revealed itself. "Th-they f-fused…"

"What?! Steven and Connie can fuse?! A gem can fuse with a human?! That's impossible!" Jasper shouted.

"I th-thought so too at one time…b-but it's not. Th-they've done it before. But…something's wrong. This isn't **Stevonnie**" Pearl explained as her gaze never left the fused form in front of them.

* * *

The fierce fusion sported the combined kalaris of the children. Their dark blue and white colors overlapped in a zig-zag pattern as well as both of their red sashes tied around their waist. They were barefoot since they outgrew their shoes. The animal logos on their backs combined into a sinister, unrecognizable creature.

Their complexion was a bit darker than Connie's skin tone and their long dark-brown hair was braided into a ponytail. However their normally curly locks were as spiky as Jasper's. The muscle definition was more cut and bigger than before, due in part to their intense training.

But…their muscles also seemed to pulsating, as if something was trying to break through their skin. The strain of the unknown force caused their breathing to be ragged, although it was barely noticeable to the unnerved gems across from them.

But the most disturbing part about all of that was the fact that Steven's shield was almost completely black and black vein-like lines crawled up the pink blade. Not to mention that the glow emanating from their gem wasn't as luminous as it usually was. If anything, it looked dull and shadowy.

* * *

She wasn't the only one who picked up on the distorted nature of fusion before them.

Just outside the arena entrance, Garnet, Amethyst, Lapis and Peridot peeked around the corner and beheld the unimaginable sight before them.

Amethyst immediately, yet slowly, backed away from the entrance, holding herself trying to stave off the panicky shivering.

Peridot collapsed to the floor and instinctively grabbed Garnet's leg for protection.

The leader had her shades off and all three of her eyes were furrowed in agitation while her lips formed a small scowl.

Lapis held her hand over her mouth. She felt like she was going to gag due to the perverted aura that they were exuding. She didn't even think was possible for Steven to exhibit such malice.

"G-Garnet…what's going on? When you said it was important…I mean I get what Pearl and Jasper did was **really** messed up and they totally deserved to get their heads knocked around…but this? A-are they…is Stevonnie…"

"They're not in berserker mode" Garnet answered before Amethyst could ask.

"I-Is this what happens when a gem and a human fuse? A-Are they-"

"They're not an **unstable weapon** either!" Garnet hissed at Peridot, causing the green gem to flinch.

"**That** isn't Stevonnie. The Stevonnie I know was created out of love and trust, like how a fusion should be! But this Stevonnie was born out of the hate, anger, and sadness felt by Steven and Connie. The love they share is still there, but now it's morphed into extreme protection for one another" she explained.

"Steven? Hate? Those two words don't even belong in the same sentence" Amethyst said in disbelief.

"No…they don't. But in case you've forgotten, Steven's attitude drastically changes whenever he reaches his breaking point-"

"Due to all the negativity he's absorbing!" Lapis finished.

"Exactly. Jasper and Pearl created this…this…**sigh** I really don't want to say it but for lack of a better word, **monster** due to their negative feelings about each other and themselves. Not only is he absorbing their negative vibes, he's also getting rid of his own bad thoughts as well as Connie's that were spurred on by what those two did to them. It's too much at once!" she angrily stated.

"B-but last time all he did was cry and Lion took him to the spring to heal! Why would he become something like this?!" Amethyst asked.

"It's because of Connie" she answered.

"What?" they asked.

"Before, the fear he felt when he saw my berserker mode and those clusters was the trigger that caused his mind to be shattered. In this case, the betrayal was the trigger that awakened this destructive rage."

"In fusion, one partner may exhibit more influence over the fused form in certain situations. You heard what Connie said. She already has trust issues with us over what happened to him. Just to see him hurt again by those whom he put so much faith in, **especially after putting his life on the line multiple times, **sent her over the edge. And it shows now. His hurt is fueling her anger."

"Anger is a neutral emotion, and when it's combined with negative thoughts…well…needless to say it's not good. We've all been there. Whether it's my berserker mode, your monstrous water form, you blasting everything to bits with your blaster, or you lashing out due to your insecurities."

Everyone looked at the ground when Garnet uttered those truthful statements.

"But **that** doesn't define us" she followed up and everyone gave her their attention.

"Like Steven said, everyone has a temper. It's up to us whether or not to use that temper in a positive way. In this case…it's overwhelmed them because this is the first time they've experienced something like this. They wanted to teach Jasper and Pearl a lesson that they'll never forget, and thus this…corrupted form was born" she finished.

"…**Dark Stevonnie" **Amethyst silently dubbed.

"D-Didn't you ask him to correct us when we're wrong?" Peridot asked.

"There are many different ways to correct. What we've experienced so far is the Steve-ly way, where communication and reconciliation comes into play. Now a new, hostile way has been awakened…**beat'em til they break**. Which one would you rather have to deal with?" she asked.

Peridot didn't answer.

"…Thought so" she surmised.

Her face paled as she grabbed Garnet's leg tighter. "Th-they're just like a** real diamond now**" she stuttered.

"**A real diamond?!** No way! That's crazy! Don't you dare put them on the same level as that Yellow jerk!" Amethyst refuted.

"But it's true! I swear! I don't know how to explain it, but in Yellow's presence, you feel really small! And not just because she's over eight feet tall! And her eyes glowed with a golden haze similar to theirs just before she unleashed her power!" she asserted.

Amethyst looked over at Lapis for confirmation and the blue gem slowly nodded her head in agreement.

Her eyes widened in shock and she collapsed onto her knees. "…No way. Not my play buddy. It can't be! I know he was born a diamond, but I didn't think **that** part was in him too" she said.

"It doesn't matter whether or not he's a diamond, everyone is allowed to feel. In this case…don't you think their anger is justified?" Garnet asked.

Everyone slowly nodded their heads. It was just so surreal to see him, **of all people**, act like that.

"Garnet…will they stay that way forever?" Amethyst nervously asked as she gripped the ends of her hair.

"…That depends."

"Don't you **dare** start getting all cryptic on me!" she snapped.

"I'm not. If Jasper and Pearl can't confront and beat the embodiment of their negativity, they'll lose. Whether it's by Dark Stevonnie's hands or the actual negative energy inside of them" Garnet stated.

"But what about the lesson they were supposed to learn?!" Lapis asked.

"I said they'll learn in an unexpected way. And you can't get more unexpected than this!" she said gesturing to the field. "I never said anything about the outcome" she clarified.

"So you allowed this to happen and you didn't even know how it was going to end?!" she yelled, on the verge of going berserk herself and stopping this madness before Steven and his friend got hurt.

"I see many possibilities. That's why we're here. To make sure that the **right** one occurs. No matter what. We can't be moved by what we see, even if it looks really bad. That's why I asked you to trust me. Can you do that…please?" she asked.

Everyone warily looked at each other, then Amethyst said "You always got our backs G. Do what you gotta do" and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Thank you" she replied with a slight nod of her own, before redirecting her triple-eyed gaze back on the battle scene.

"…This is their first step to getting rid of all the junk going on inside of them. Like I told Lapis before, Steven's song only removed one layer of what was going on inside of me. For them, he must've just opened the door. Now it's time for them to walk through it, especially if they want to repair their shattered bond and make it stronger than ever. But first…they have to get through **that.**" she said.

* * *

Pearl had some of the same epiphanies when she whispered to herself, "…I did this. Oh rock what have I done?!"

She attempted to articulate anything that could possibly calm them down. "S-Stevonnie, pl-" but Pearl's pleas were immediately shut down when Stevonnie's purple-hazed, diamond-shaped pupil narrowed gaze focused on her.

They let out a little snarl as they raised the tainted blade into the air. "RRRRRRAAAH YYYYAH!" they yelled as threw their sword straight at them.

Jasper grabbed Pearl and the two of them narrowly dodged the high speed projectile. Jasper once again used her body as a shield from the flying debris caused by the impact.

"Holy sheet rock…" Jasper gasped.

Needless to say, both of them were completely mortified by how large the crack was on the stone stands and how deep the sword actually went in.

"Pearl, this isn't the time for talking! It's time to fight!" Jasper stated as she shook the jittery nerves out of her system.

"But we can't! What if we hurt them?!" Pearl asked as she was set down.

"In case you haven't noticed, they're hurting now. I don't know what's going on, but look at how they're moving."

Pearl closely examined their combined student and noticed that they were having trouble staying upright, like they were on the verge of collapsing due to exhaustion.

"Their muscles are spazzing and their breathing is ragged! It's barely noticeable, but I can tell!" she retorted.

"I-It's the negativity. Stevonnie's trying to expel it, but it's too much! It's consuming them!" Pearl cried.

"Then we'll have to beat it out of them. **We** caused this mess, now we have to fix it. It looks like that form won't last long so this is our only chance. And before I forget…thanks for earlier" she said as she summoned her helmet.

"W-wait"

But Pearl's protests were silenced when she saw Stevonnie summon another black shield and morph them into a pair of knuckle busters. They ran towards them at incredible speeds; Jasper had to toss Pearl aside in order to block the spring-loaded punch with her helmet.

"GAH!" she grunted as she held her head; the reverberations from the blow gave her a massive headache. Similar to when Steven slapped her in Rose's room, but this was a hundred times worse.

"GRAH!"

Stevonnie's battle cry snapped her somewhat out of it and she managed to dodge another dizzy-inducing left hook. But the onslaught continued as they continued their fast flurry of punches. Jasper tried her best to deflect or dodge the attacks, but she was still woozy from the first blow and as such the rapid jabs finally hit their target.

All she could do was keep her hands up, keep her feet steady, make her body as hard as steel and hope against all odds that Stevonnie ran out of steam…which didn't seem to be anytime soon.

Pearl was petrified. She wanted to help. She knew that Jasper wouldn't last long from that breakneck beat down, but her body wouldn't move! "C'mon. C'mon!" she yelled at herself as she tried to summon her weapon, but the guilt she felt wouldn't allow her to focus!

"YAAAAAH!" the fusion yelled as one super-powered punch slip past her defenses and made contact with her right cheek, bashing her into the tiled floor.

"JASPER!" Pearl yelled as the relentless warrior continued their rapid-fire attacks.

After what seemed like an eternity, Stevonnie finally stopped.

Pearl held her hand over her mouth when she saw Jasper's lifeless body sprawled out beneath the feet of the violent fusion; even her helmet disappeared due to the lack of energy.

Stevonnie's breathing became more pronounced after that assault. Their arms laid at their sides; they were slightly hunched over, trying to get as much oxygen in them as they could.

When she noticed them lift their gauntleted fists, getting ready for another pounding, Pearl begged, "S-Stevonnie, stop! Please! This isn't you!"

All she got in response was slow head turn in her direction.

She gasped once she saw finally saw the constricted, clouded gaze of the normally lovable fusion. It felt like she was being judged, and she started crying again. She knew that she failed miserably…**again**. But having that condemning gaze upon her…silently asking "_Why?" _just struck her to her core.

Just as they took a single step towards the weeping gem, Jasper suddenly sprang up and landed a powerful uppercut, knocking Stevonnie high into the air.

"URRRRAH!" they grunted.

"I told you…a million times…never let your guard down…" Jasper wheezed before she collapsed to the ground. She supported herself with one hand on her knee.

Finally feeling some energy course through her body, Pearl rushed to her side and kneeled down next to her. "Jasper! Are you okay?!" she asked.

The striped warrior arched one eyebrow and gave her a '_really'_ look. "If I didn't feel like lead…I'd slap you for asking such a stupid question" she replied.

"_Yep, she's okay" _Pearl thought, for once not being offended by one of her insults.

But that moment of triumph was short lived when they heard the familiar sound of a weapon being summoned. The mentally and physically exhausted duo looked up and saw Stevonnie in a dark-purple bubble shield doing what appeared to be a standing crunch.

"GRRRRRRR RAH!" they yelled as they stretched out of the move. Suddenly, the bruise-colored bubble burst and all of the shards morphed into razor-sharp thorns!

"YAH!" they grunted as they threw their arms downs, sending all of the thorns to rain down upon their mentors. Jasper watched helplessly as the lethal shower inched closer to her. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the inevitable poofing.

**CLASH PING PUH**

Jasper slowly opened her eyes when she heard the sound of the projectiles being ricocheted in every kind of direction and what she saw…actually impressed her.

Pearl was standing in front of her, spinning two spears at once deflecting the thorny downpour.

"…_So that's the point of the spinning"_ she thought as the immediate threat finally ended when Stevonnie landed on the other side near the demolished edge.

"Grrrr…" they irritably growled before holding their unguarded hand up. All of a sudden, the tainted sword wriggled itself out of the divot and flew back into their grasp, just like metal to a magnet. Stevonnie charged again, this time ready to beat Pearl at her own game.

The swordswoman accepted the challenge and ran towards her conjoined pupil. Instead of meeting them head on, Pearl jumped into the air and threw one of her spears at them, just like she did during her duel with Jasper. But this time, Stevonnie couldn't dodge it because the spear was in front of them and due to their forward momentum. They stopped in their tracks. However, the abrupt halt scrapped the soles of their bare feet.

"HRNN!" they grimaced, but they brought their sword up in time to deflect the projectile.

Pearl gracefully landed behind them and just like she wanted to against Jasper, she swung at the midsection fusion with the blunt end of her spear.

But instead of hitting their body, she hit a shield that Stevonnie summoned on their back so they could protect themselves like a turtle.

Now that there was an opening, they swiftly spun around with their sword ready to cut her in half!

Thinking fast, Pearl held her spear along her side and blocked the fatal blow, although the power behind their strike pushed her away. After getting her bearings she shouted, "Stevonnie, please! I don't want to fight you!"

But the enraged fusion didn't listen and charged towards her again.

"…_Guess Jasper's right"_ she relented as she tightened her grip on her spear and ran to face the monster she helped create.

* * *

Jasper could only watch from the sidelines as she refreshed her strength. She took note of how Pearl's flexibility and swift movements allowed her to effectively dodge Stevonnie's horizontal and vertical sword slashes.

A small smirk appeared formed on her lips. "_A clear mind always wins"_ she thought.

But the same could be said for the crazed fusion. They mimicked Pearl's dancing battling style to a T as they equally evaded her attacks. They even got in a couple of swift sweeping kicks and a couple of well-timed punches before Pearl scurried away from taking too much damage.

It was as if she was watching a waltz. **A deadly waltz**.

After colliding weapons again, Stevonnie did a back flip to get some distance between them. "RAH!" they yelled as the jumped into the air to perform a jump attack.

Sensing her opportunity, Pearl got into the proper stance and easily countered the strike with the back-hand disabling move, effectively wrenching the sabre out of their destructive hold.

She quickly threw the sword back over to the stands and put some distance between herself and the surprised fusion. She quickly launched herself into the air and came down with her own jump attack. Her intent was to aim for the clavicle so as to stun them without causing major damage.

But Stevonnie had other ideas.

Instead of simply moving out of the way, they got right under the attack and caught the back-end of the blade **with their bare hands**, stopping her attack cold!

Pearl stared at them wide-eyed before having the weapon wrestled away from her. She limply fell to the floor and watched them break the spear in half.

"Th-that's impossible! Even if it was the dull edge, the palms of your hands should've been severely cut!" she shakily stuttered.

And she was partly right; normally that kind of action would've had severe repercussions to the user. What she didn't know was that Stevonnie summoned a shield layer at the last second to cover the palms of their hands, so they wouldn't be injured.

They forcefully grabbed fearfully shaken gem by the collar of her shirt; she struggled desperately to try and get out of their iron grip. Then they brought her close to their face and for the first time since this whole fiasco started spoke, **"I…Am…An…Impossibility!"** before throwing her towards the stands.

Luckily Jasper recovered enough of her energy to run over and catch her before she hit the stone seats.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked as she set her down.

"I'm fine, thanks. But this isn't working! Everything they've learned from us…they're combining into one style and its exposing all of our weak points!" Pearl exasperated.

That's when something clicked in the back of Jasper's mind. "…Cinnamon sugar donut" she realized.

"What?" Pearl asked.

"Cinnamon sugar donut!" she exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, but Pearl was still thoroughly confused. She growled in frustration and said, "I'll explain later. But for now follow my lead. If they can combine their styles, then so can we."

Pearl arched one eyebrow and before she could say anything Jasper interceded, "I know, I know, alright! Look, we'll talk after all this is over! But we need to do something now!"

And Stevonnie's battle roar signaled how little time they had left.

A dark-purple aura surrounded their body as they activated their gem powers, pushing it to its limits. They summoned another pair of pitch black shields and morphed them into knuckle busters, only this time it had spikes on the ends of them. Then they raised their hand up and attracted their sword off the floor again. And for the cherry on top they summoned **another** shield to bolster their defenses.

Using all that energy at once put a serious strain on their body, so much so that they almost collapsed. But just like the tiny flicker of light inside of their gem, their will to protect one another kept them upright.

"…They're going all out" gulped Pearl.

"Then we'd better do the same" Jasper stated as she summoned her helmet and began revving up. "Stay behind me!" she ordered before speeding off towards Stevonnie.

The fusion brought their shield up and kept a close watch on Jasper's movements, waiting to see if she would try and fake'em out. When they realized that her intent was to ram into them, Stevonnie firmly planted their feet in the ground and braced for impact. There was no way they were going to be the chicken.

All of sudden, Jasper stopped mere inches away from the fused form. Stevonnie didn't even bat an eyelash as the wind blew right past them.

They saw their opportunity to strike and rose their sword into the air.

Before they could, Pearl came up behind them and put her pupils in a grappling hold, similar to how Jasper held Amethyst behind her back. They had been so focused on the spinning attack that they didn't notice Pearl sneak up behind them!

They struggled to break free, and they managed to do so due their increased strength. Taking that as her cue, Jasper unfurled and landed a spinning backflip kick right under their thoracic cavity, literally knocking the wind out of them as well as knocking them high into the air causing them to drop their sword and banish the crystal weapons.

Then she jumped up and followed up with a two-handed hammer hit right on their back, sending them straight to the ground.

Almost instinctively, they managed to turn over so that their back was the part that made contact with the tiled floor. Even though they summoned a shield along their back to cushion themselves from the impact at the last second, it still hurt and they couldn't move due to the pain.

"Uhhhhhoowww" They moaned.

"NOW PEARL!" Jasper shouted and she jumped up and summoned multiple spears out of her gem and threw a pair, crisscrossed around their wrists, ankles, waist, and neck to pin them down. They landed a ways away from the finally defeated fusion.

After a tense moment of waiting, they both released a collective sigh of relief, knowing that they had finally knocked them out.

* * *

"We…we won" Pearl breathed out.

"…Sure doesn't feel like it" Jasper bitterly commented.

"…You're right, this wasn't a victory. This shouldn't even have happened!" Pearl cried as she looked over at their seemingly lifeless body.

They walked up to them to make sure they weren't seriously hurt. Stevonnie's breathing was shallow due to the blow, but otherwise that they just looked completely exhausted. Sensing they were no longer a threat, Pearl banished her spears.

She collapsed onto her knees right next to them and touched their dusty forehead. She retracted her hand, tightly closed it into a fist and slammed it against her thigh. "Why am I so weak?!" she yelled as more tears fell from her eyes.

Jasper just looked at the broken gem in front of her. That's when an old memory resurfaced in her mind, of how she asked herself the same question when the other warriors would berate her over her size. Whenever that pressure became too much…in a sense she became this version of Stevonnie, a raging maniac bent on beating up anyone in her path.

But the big difference between her and them was she became strong so she could survive and impose her will onto others. **They** became strong due to their desire to protect one another.

Due to their love.

"_You try to stop the other from hurting you or the one you care about, the latter providing the most motivation and strength to win."_

Copy Rose's words rang in her head as she ran her hand through her tangled locks.

"…Sheet rock" she muttered to herself. "_I still have a long way to go_" she thought as she crouched down beside the weeping gem. She knew she had to do something, but she was still new to this whole reconciliation thing…and so far her track record sucked.

"Hey…you're not weak" she tried to comfort, but the words felt weird as they crossed her lips. Especially considering all of the stuff she said and did to her in the days prior to all…this. Forget days, just mere minutes before this melee ensued.

Even Pearl looked at her incredulously with a raised eyebrow and spat, "Really? That's not the impression I got before this whole mess started! But in the end…you were right. And I guess the truth hurt…really really bad. I know I'm just a Pearl…I'm useless on my own. I needed somebody, **anybody**, to give me a sense of purpose…a sense of worth."

"And I guess I used Connie to feel that way. You should've heard her speech about wanting to defend Steven. It reminded me a lot of myself and Rose. And what do I do? I use them for my own agenda. Trying to prove a pointless point and ended up endangering them. I mean, it was **your** plan that ultimately stopped them. I just followed orders…like I'm supposed to do. But that's the only thing good about me. Other than that… I'm beyond defective."

Jasper just absorbed her degrading drivel as she laid her head on top of her knees, her tears adding to the sorrowful memories etched into the tiled floor.

"…You're not the only one" she commented. Pearl lifted her head up.

"I guess some of home world's dogmas are still in me and it'll take a while to get them out completely. When Steven told me that you were training Connie…I guess I got a little insecure. I mean, that's my thing! Being the big buff Blazing Beast! And I guess…I didn't like the fact that that was being taken away from me by someone who wasn't even built for fighting, at least by home world standards. Not to mention I was so stuck on how humans were in the past…I guess I just closed my mind off to any other possibilities."

Pearl wiped her eyes as she continued to listen to her talk.

"So…in the end, we were both right. You were made a Pearl and nothing will ever change that. Just like Connie was born a human. But if there's anything that this fight has shown me…**reminded me**…is that we can rise above what we've been born with. Not everything is set in stone. Sure there are inherited traits that'll give us an advantage, but it's how you use them that determines how strong you are. That's how I made all the other warriors back off when they were picking on me" she explained.

"Besides…this Pearl saved my gem by deflecting those thorn shards with that spinning trick" she smiled as she grabbed her shoulder.

Pearl blushed from the gesture, looking at the hand on her shoulder then back at the awkward grin Jasper sported. A small smile crept on her face as well. "…Steven was right. You do have a soft, snuggling side" she commented.

Jasper tried her hardest not to let a blush appear on her cheeks, but failed miserably. "Yea…well**ahem** I'm still learning" she miraculously articulated.

"…We all are. And I'm sorry for…pushing you like that and being so desperate for an answer. You're entitled to your opinions and I should've talked to you about how I felt in a more respectable manner" Pearl apologized.

"Don't worry about it" Jasper assured as she brought her in closer to her body.

"…In retrospect, Steven's song only took out one layer of all the junk going on inside of me. I know have to deal with it…but…it's just so hard! And I wish I didn't have to involve them" she lamented as she gazed upon the still fusion.

"Well…he did what Garnet asked him to do. He…**They**…corrected us when were way wrong. I just didn't expect to learn a lesson like…this" she said.

"I don't think any of us did. What…what if they don't forgive us?" she worriedly asked.

"…Then so be it. Greg did say that we'd have to deal with any consequences for our actions. We've been very fortunate so far…but…I don't know. I wouldn't forgive myself if I was in their position" Jasper lamented.

Pearl's eyes began to water up again as the truth hurt her like one of Stevonnie's jabs. She got out of Jasper's hold, placed her hand on their warm forehead and gently ran her fingers through their messed up hair.

"Stevonnie…I'm…I'm…" but more sobs wracked through her body before she could finish her sentence.

Jasper clenched her hands into tight fists instead of shedding tears.

Pearl managed to compose her long enough to hiccup, "I-I'm sorry! I-I was just…A-and the anger... I didn't m-mean for any of this to happen, I swear! I would never, ever, hurt you or Connie! You two mean so much to me. Y-your one of the few bright spots in my life. I-I don't…I don't…who am I kidding?! I DO care if you decided to hate me! It would crack my gem in half! I know I deserve to be scorned, but please! I'm begging you! Give me another chance! I love you too m-much!"

* * *

As soon she uttered that last sentence, Stevonnie's body suddenly jerked. "HRRGH!" they grunted.

"What the?!" Pearl exclaimed as she and Jasper scooted back.

Soon their body was engulfed in a black aura as their gem shone with the light of the sun. But it gradually lost its luster, almost as if it were being covered by dark clouds.

They opened their purple, hazed-covered eyes and quickly sat up. But the rapid action almost caused them to collapse on the ground again.

"What's happening?!" Pearl shrilled.

"You're asking me?! How the heck should I know?!" Jasper retorted as both of them moved further away.

Stevonnie finally managed to stand up on their weakened legs, and they turned their delirious attention to the two gems across from them.

"Rnn…RAHHHHH!" they roared in a gravelly voice as they slowly walked towards the startled duo.

"No…not…again" Pearl uttered as they somehow managed to summon another pitch-black shield, only this time it had spikes protruding from it! They rose their hand again and the almost equally black sword entered into their awaiting grasp. Their muscles were pulsing faster, even their veins were showing through their skin.

They slowly got into the traditional swords stance, ready to continue the duel. Before they could initiate any kind of attack, Jasper stopped moving backwards and stood her ground.

"_Enough of this!"_ she thought as she approached the crazed fusion.

Stevonnie growled at her through her newly fanged incisors and shot the thorns out of their shield.

Jasper barely dodged them; even had one bounce off her helmet. She dismissed her weapon and continued walking towards them.

Seeing Jasper's resolve, Pearl clenched her fist and decided that she was done running away as well. She quickly caught up to her just as she bellowed, "STEVONNIE!"

At least she got their respectable attention…or at least enough time before they regenerated their spikes.

In a bold move, Jasper collapsed to the floor and bowed before the superior opponent.

Pearl was absolutely stunned! Normally any quartz would rather have their gem shattered than submit to anyone that they lost to. This was an act of true humility on her part. But then again…she has changed.

Even Stevonnie's eyes widened just a tad as they were taken aback by the action. But their razor-sharp focus returned and they still kept their guard up in case she tried any funny business.

"You win" she declared, banishing all thoughts of a sneak attack out their mind. "I was wrong"

"**We **were wrong!" Pearl corrected before Jasper could say anything else. "We're so sorry we hurt you! Please…we're the monsters, not you. Please, **please** don't stay like this! We couldn't live with ourselves knowing that we turned our dedicated, hard-working, and sweet little cub and knight into this raging fusion! Look inside yourself! Is **this** what you truly want to become?!" she asked through her tears.

Stevonnie slowly lowered their weapons and rapidly looked across the floor through their constricted gaze, trying to process what they just heard.

"HRRNNNN!" they grunted as they closed their eyes and grabbed their head, inadvertently dropping their sword and banishing their shield. "RAHHHH!"

They sealed their eyes tighter and ground their teeth together, as if they were trying to stave off a massive migraine.

Although they may have won the physical battle, the true fight was about to place inside of their mind.

* * *

Darkness.

A swirling vortex of pain and anger within the conjoined mind tossed the two vulnerable souls to and fro without mercy. That is until a small flicker of light allowed one child to resist being tossed around like a rag doll.

**GASP**

The star child gasped for air as he slowly rose out of the murky depths of the all-consuming darkness. Breathing heavily, Steven looked around his surroundings and asked himself, "_Where am I? Wait…the duel!_"

"CONNIE!" Steven called out as he ran around the area.

"_Just give up_!" one voice shouted, but he ignored it and continued his search.

"Connie! Where are you?!" he yelled.

"_Why go on? You liked this power, don't you?! Don't you want to stay like this forever_?!"

Fed up, Steven shouted, "NO! This is messed up! You're messed up!"

"_I'm messed up? I'm not the one who forced you into fighting that weak spit of a knight! You wanted to show them what the lion king and the fierce owl could do…together. Both of you gave into your rage and look how strong you two have become! Why would you want to give it up? What kind of friend are you to take away the strength that she so badly wanted?!_" the vile voice spat.

"…You're right. I was angry at what Jasper and Pearl tried to make us do. I was so upset at how scared Connie looked. And I wanted to teach them a lesson…but not like this! I wanted to show them how different styles could combine to make something amazing! Like a cinnamon-sugar donut! I wanted to show them true strength and this isn't it! I heard their apology! And I'm tired of being an angry little sad sack, it's exhausting and it hurts! If I'm taking you away from her, then I'm a great friend!" he retorted.

The detestable entity knew it was losing ground, especially since the light from his gem started to shine brighter. For its ace in the hole, it shouted _"You actually believe them?! Especially after what Pearl said about you!? You're dumber than I thought!"_

Steven got quiet when he heard that.

Black tentacles slowly approached him, getting ready to pounce and drag him back down into the whirling void. Before they could snatch him up, Steven spoke, "…I might not believe them now…but I won't **ever** believe you!"

With that declaration, the horrid darkness fled from the overwhelming light shining from his gem, leaving an unconscious girl in their wake.

"CONNIE!" Steven yelled as he sprinted towards his companion.

He knelt beside her and gently lifted her head. "Connie. C'mon…wake up. Please…" he softly pleaded. Soon the light that was surrounding him engulfed her as well. After a brief moment, Connie's eyes fluttered open.

"S-Steven?"

"Heh…talk about déjà vu huh?" he joked as he wiped the developing mist out of his eyes, relieved that she was okay.

"Huh? W-what happened? Wait…the fight! Where's Jasper and Pearl?!" she angrily asked as she stood up. Steven had to catch her since she was still pretty weak from the ordeal.

"They're on the outside. We're Stevonnie now" he explained.

"What?! When did that happen?" she asked.

"I-I don't know. I remember I caught in you in my bubble, and we said that we were going to show them what the lion king and the fierce owl can do together. I think that's when we fused. But then everything went…black" he explained.

"Yea…you're right. I remember feeling so much pain, it'd hurt just to stand. Then it shifted in this…power. I really can't describe it, but it felt…amazing. Like I could take on anyone! But it was also really scary! It felt like I wasn't in control of myself" she shuddered.

Steven sighed in relief, glad to hear that she didn't want that kind of power anymore. "I think my bad thought absorbing power had something to do with it. All the negative energy I must've absorbed from everyone was just too much, and I think it took over Stevonnie" he said.

"…None of this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for them" she bitterly said.

"I know" he agreed.

"I mean, what in world where they thinking?!" she yelled.

"I don't know…but I know that they're sorry. I heard Pearl say that while I was…knocked out. I also heard her say how she loves us so much" he said.

"You can't be serious! You can't believe her! She hurt you!" she shouted.

Almost instantaneously, a voice whispered, "_That's right…she nothing but a defective piece of trash that deserves to be hated!"_

Soon the illuminated area started to turn grey, getting darker with each passing second.

Steven picked up on the ominous change and sighed. "…You're right, she did hurt me. Back then and now. But…I'll still forgive them."

"What?! Why?! Steven, don't. I-I don't want see you get hurt again" she said as tears started to form.

"There may be that chance…**but I know I'll hurt others if I don't forgive them**" he said.

Slowly, the domain started to get brighter again.

"If I stay a bitter, little sad sack because of what they did forever, then I'll carry that hurt and anger into whatever relationship I try build. And those won't last long. Soon I won't have any friends because I'll always be scared that someone will always try to hurt me."

"Don't get me wrong, I'll be a little more guarded with who I place my trust in and they'll have some **serious** making up to do. But I'm still willing to give them a chance, just like with any other person. Just like how **you **took a chance on me" he smiled.

Connie remained quiet as she absorbed what he said.

He grabbed her hand and said, "I know I've said it before, but thanks for sticking up for me. But I don't want you to be ruled by fear, especially over me. It's already had its way for far too long, and I'm not going to let you get sucked up by it!"

A few tears cascaded down her reddened cheeks as she lunged forward and grabbed him in a tight hug.

"Steven! I-I'm sorry!" she hiccupped as she cried into his shoulder.

"It's okay. People feel. If we didn't, we'd be…well…like home world. We just have to remember to do right with our feelings. That being said…"

She lifted her head up and stared into his eyes.

"How 'bout we show them how to be strong **the right way**. Together."

Connie smiled and nodded her head.

"**_I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"_** the sinister voice boomed. _"You two are the most idiotic people in the whole world! They scarred you! And yet you claim that forgiveness is the right way to be strong?! Rage is the only way and you know it! It'll always be your fallback tactic and-_"

"**SHUT UP!"** the children shouted.

"You're the stupid one! Don't you know that scars fade away?!" Connie shouted.

"Yea! We'll move past this together and we'll chalk it up to learning experience!" Steven added.

"So you must be really dumb if you haven't figured out by now that you'll never beat us! So take a hint already and **SHUT UP**!" the concurrently yelled.

The immoral creature was instantly obliterated due their passionate outburst and soon the area transformed into the beach house with some of the crystalline elements from the underground grotto.

"Wooooww" they marveled.

"We're safe now" Connie smiled.

"Yea. C'mon, let's go in" Steven said. He took her hand and both of them walked up the steps of the peaceful abode.

* * *

While the two children may have found peace inside of their combined mind, it sure didn't look like it from Pearl and Jasper's perspective.

"RAAAAAAAAHHHHHH" they screamed as they writhed around on the floor in extreme pain, coating themselves in the accumulated dirt.

"STEVONNIE!" Pearl yelled, but she couldn't move. She didn't know what was going on or what to do and it frustrated her to no end!

"_What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?!"_ she frantically thought as she ran her hands through her drooping hair; her analytical mind could only take so much!

Suddenly they shot up and started thrashing about, just hitting the air. One blow came dangerously close to hitting Pearl, but she was pulled back the equally disturbed gem.

"Jasper! Let me go! We have to do something" she shrilled.

"And what do you have in mind, exactly?!" she retorted.

Pearl tried to form coherent words to articulate any kind of idea, but failed miserably.

"Uh huh. Look, I'm gonna borrow a page out of Garnet's book. We wait" she said in finality.

"Are you out of your mind?! Look at them!"

"No, **you** look at them. They're not fighting us, they're fighting the negative energy inside of them! It's all mental, remember?! What we're seeing is the physical manifestation of the battle taking place. I mean look at their gem! That's the brightest I've seen it since this whole thing started!" she observed.

Pearl saw it as well and covered her mouth. "Oh…my…rock" she uttered as she imaginable all the horrors that Steven and Connie had to face by themselves. She almost fainted from the graphic self-created imagery.

"We can't just wait!" she countered.

"Do you have a better idea!? It's not like you can enter their mind!" she yelled.

"I know that! But I have to do something! **Anything**! I know I was getting through to them at least, then all chaos breaks loose!" she cried.

"Look! In addition to what I've learned right now, I've learned to **never** underestimate Steven. I made that mistake twice, I'm not about to do it again. Now I know not to underestimate Connie as well. They can handle whatever is going on" she proclaimed.

All of a sudden, Stevonnie collapsed onto their knees and smashed their fist into the ground. That sickening pop from their wrist shook the confidence of the striped warrior as she shuddered. Pearl would've thrown up if she had anything in her stomach.

Then the out of control fusion tightly gripped their pulsating shoulders, as if they were trying to contain something inside. Blood from their right hand was smeared down their arm as they scratched their burning skin.

"S-STEVONNE! Don't give up!" Pearl cried.

The said form closed their eyes, took a deep breath and yelled, "**SHUT UP!**"

Needless to say Pearl was stunned. "N-no…" she stuttered as she collapsed onto her knees as well. Never before has anyone said that to her with such disdain…not even Amethyst. She thought the composed way Steven uttered those words was bad…this was a billion times worse.

"Pearl! Snap out of it! They weren't yelling at you!" Jasper commanded.

"Weren't they?!" she retorted as she looked at her.

"Pretty sure! Look!"

At this point, Pearl didn't know if she could handle anything else, but she made herself turn her head. "…Mother of diamond" she gasped.

* * *

Right above Stevonnie's head a black, smoke-like miasma started to take form! Soon the smoke gave way to wispy, flame-like appendages.

Their gem glowed with a harsh pink light, working on maximum overdrive to banish this negative entity out of their body.

The miasma started to morph itself into what appeared to be disfigured jackal with four blood-red eyes, long erect ears, and extended forearms with razor-sharp claws.

"HHHHRRRRROOOOOOOO!" it howled before setting it ravenous gaze upon the terrified gems.

The bystanders weren't feeling so hot themselves.

"GARNET! LET ME GO!" Lapis yelled as she thrashed about in her hold.

Amethyst had her eyes tightly closed, trying banish what she just saw out of her mind.

Peridot gripped her abdomen to try to stop the strong, anxiety-filled, electrical pulses from surging throughout her body.

"Lapis! Stop! Everything's going to be okay!" she tried to assure her.

"You can't stand there and tell me with a straight face that **THAT'S** okay!" she countered as she tried to break out of her iron grip.

The beast moaned again as the wispy flames gave way to the slimy, sludge-looking exterior that Steven described.

"It's coming out! It's coming out!" Peridot panicked.

"GARNET! I swear if you don't let me go-"

"Not the first time I've been threatened Lazuli! I'm **not** letting go." Garnet stated, ending the argument.

"RRRRRAAAAAAA" it roared before lifting one claw up, with every intent to smash Jasper and Pearl into dust.

Jasper went into defense mode and summoned her helmet. "Give me your best shot! I'm not afraid of you!" she shouted.

Feeling empowered by what she just said, Pearl quickly stood up and shouted, "Neither am I! Get out of them now!" as she summoned a pair of spears.

And the jackal entity did just that. Even though it wasn't fully fleshed out yet, it had enough moxie to initiate an attack against them.

Just before its claw made contact, it suddenly recoiled in pain! As if it was stung by something!

"What the?!" the battle-ready gems asked.

Then they noticed that Stevonnie was holding the now un-tainted blade in their non-injured hand. And they could also see one of their eyes was open and it wasn't overshadowed by a purple haze.

The jackal looked down at its former host and roared.

"You don't…like that…do you?" Stevonnie mocked before they held the sword in both hands…right over their gem!

"Stevonnie! What're you doing?!" Pearl yelled.

"To stop those…that try to hurt…the ones you love" they wheezed as they raised their arms up, while still gripping the sword.

Jasper's and Pearl's eyes widened when they realized what they were about to.

"Stevonnie! Don't do it!" Pearl shrilled as they tried to run as fast as they could over to where they were, while getting past that jackal.

"Take a hint. Get out…and stay out!" they shouted before driving the sword towards their shining gem.

"STEVONNIE!"

* * *

**What is Stevonnie going to do? Will the jackal monster infect the rest of the gems? Tune in next time for the finale of "Strong in Which Way?"  
**

**I hope you guys could picture the battle scenes, this is the first time I've done such a long one.**

**Dark Stevonnie...I know the gems weren't expecting to see that. **

**I based them off Darkspine Sonic from Sonic and the Secret Rings since he transforms into that when absorbs the world rings of hatred, rage, and sadness. I threw a little Naruto/Ninetails cloak. Glowing eyes from King Sombra and to top it off a little out of control Lucario mega-evolution from from Pokemon XY. What do you guys think?**

**I chose a jackal as the entity because jackals are a monogamous pair; they mate for life and protect their territory from intruders. Similar to Steven and Connie; they're friends for life and they'll stop anyone that tries to hurt him/her. Especially Connie.  
**

**And Garnet's right. Anger combined with negative emotions is never good. That's why half the crazy stuff is taking place in the world right now! But I won't go into that. We're here to have fun and write to our hearts content.**

**Thanks again to everyone for supporting this story. I'm glad you've enjoyed it and I hope all of you enjoyed your holidays! I know I did and a big shout-out to my family for making it another great Christmas. See ya in 2016 :) **

**For guest light: Yep I was talking about Heracross :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**When Stevonnie sings, listen to "I Love You Too Much" from "The Book of Life".**

**And as a suggestion for when they're just playing, listen to "The Promise" from "Sonic and the Secret Rings" soundtrack, if you want.**

* * *

**CRACK**

A miniscule sound. No louder than a pin needle dropping to the floor within a silent room.

And yet…it blared like an alarm of an ambulance to everyone in the vicinity.

Jasper and Pearl were as still as statues when they beheld the horrifying sight of their fused pupil.

Stevonnie appeared to be lifeless from far away. They were still upright on their knees, but their head hung limp. Their breathing was nearly undetectable and their eyes were sealed shut.

But that wasn't the case.

Every single muscle fiber in their arms consumed the last bit of their energy to drive the sacred blade into **their gem**, cleaving the bright light emanating from it.

Jasper had her arm slightly outstretched, but it was quivering out of sheer shock. The grim sight paralyzed her vocal chords, but Pearl wasn't so fortunate. She grabbed her head and shrilled from the top her lungs "STEVONNIE!"

But her concerned shout was overpowered by the painful wail of the vile entity.

"GRAAAAAAHOOOOOOOO!" it howled as its sludge covered body reverted back to its original smoky form. It rapidly diminished in size as it was being drawn back into Stevonnie's body by the cleansing power of the sword - almost as if the weapon itself was being converted into a vacuum cleaner. Diamond fractals surrounded the exhausted fusion as the particles replaced the lingering purple haze around them.

"_Just…a little…more"_ they thought as they clenched their teeth.

To say it hurt was an understatement; the sword felt a hot-tipped fireplace poker and it burned the supposedly solid stone.

"_D-dad was wrong…rocks **aren't **hard"_ they thought.

Their tolerance to pain may have gotten higher due to their intense training, but they were still the union of two children…with natural limits. They slowly opened their mouth to let some of that metallic-tasting spit flow out. The sparkling saliva traveled down the blunt edge of the blade, eventually making contact with their broken gem.

"_Takes care…of that"_ they thought, but they still had to be vigilant. No matter how much it burned, they willed themselves not to move the blade even an inch until that horrid beast was out of them for good.

"GAH!" they grunted, causing them to grab the hilt even tighter.

It felt like the abusive jackal was hanging on for dear life inside of their core, but the temporary cramp quickly went away when it was finally drained out of them. However, when the last of the creature was sucked out it sent out a small shock wave, inadvertently pushing the blade out of the tiny crack they inflicted upon their gemstone.

"AH!" they yelped in pain as the swift motion caused them to fall onto their back. The injured hand that somehow still had a grip on the sword finally gave in and dropped it at their side.

"STEVONNIE!" Pearl yelled again as she and Jasper finally snapped out of it and got to their moaning student.

Pearl kneeled down right above their head whereas Jasper moved the humming blade out of the way so she could kneel down along their right side. The sight of the broken, but recognizable, fusion nearly cracked their gems in half.

Their complexion returned to its normal color and their muscles weren't pulsing anymore. They were still highly defined, but at least they took solace in knowing that it was by natural means instead of being engorged by that corrosive energy. And their formerly spiky locks returned to their natural curly texture. Although they couldn't see it, the hideous insignia on the back of their now evenly striped kalaris became a gryphon, with the body of a lion and the head of an owl. But the dried blood smeared along their arm as well as the swelling in their wrist and scraped knuckles nauseated them.

"…At…at least they're not glitching" Jasper observed but it didn't ease Pearl's worries. Her gaze was firmly fixated on the crack in their inherited gemstone as well as the slow rise and fall of their chest.

Never in all her life did she think that she would witness that pink stone be fractured **again**. Pearl shuddered as she internally recalled the last time it happened. Everyone in the war knew the risks and having your gem shattered was one of them. But she didn't think it could happen to Rose. She was** ROSE! **Compassionate leader, expert tactician and fierce warrior. But all it took was a cheap shot by a disgraceful Chalcedony; and what **really** made it worse was that she showed the defeated gem mercy!

She had nightmares for **years**; Rose's massive form blinking in and out of existence was seared into her mind. For a long time, she firmly believed that it was her fault for not jumping to Rose's defense in time. But she finally convinced her that it was nothing more than an unfortunate accident; that an enemy will use every tactic in the book to ensure victory…even if it was dirty.

But this time…**the blame fell solely on them**, and nothing would ever change that.

"S-Stevonnie" Pearl uttered through her raw throat as her tears washed away some of the dirt trapped within their dark-brown hair. "_…Why couldn't they be healing tears?!"_ she thought as she wiped her eyes. Then an idea popped into her head.

"The spring! We have to take them Rose's spring! It can heal them!" she said.

Just as she was about to pick up Stevonnie's body, Jasper grabbed her hand and said, "No."

Pearl was absolutely stentorian. "Are you out of your mind?! Why not?! Don't you want to save them?!" she demanded.

"Of course I do!" she roared back, causing her to step back a little bit. Jasper immediately caught herself and lowered her tone. "…Look. First rule of fighting. If you're seriously hurt, **you don't move. **We don't know what that **thing** did to them, besides turn them into a raging lunatic. We don't know what **other** injuries they suffered and moving them carelessly could make things worse. Not only that…but while we were training…Steven told me more about his recovery process. He told me how the spring didn't work because of what he is. His body isn't like ours…**it's organic**. It won't work…" she despondently said.

Pearl bit her bottom lip as more tears poured out of her glaring eyes. "_…She's right" _she thought as she recalled that heart-wrenching night. She looked back down at the comatose fusion and sobbed, "A-And Rose can't heal them because their gem is cracked!"

Jasper solemnly nodded her head. "…In the end…they followed that doctrine to a T. But instead of saving us from an enemy…**they saved us from ourselves**" she quietly said.

"No…nononono NO!" Pearl screamed as she furiously shook her head. She refused to believe it! They didn't deserve this! Why did the good **always** have to go young?! It wasn't fair!

"_Who said life was fair?"_

Steven's words rang throughout her head, but she immediately pushed them aside and shouted, "Life has to be fair! Just this once, it has to be!" She fell to floor and begged through her tears, "Stevonnie…please…wake up. Please"

The response she got was **not** the one she was hoping for. Stevonnie exhaled one last time and they stopped breathing.

"S-Stevonnie?"

Silence.

"STEVONNIE?!" Pearl yelled as she grabbed their head, but still got nothing as their head lolled to the side. She slowly laid them down with her quivering hands back on the floor and just stared at their still face.

"No…NOOAAAAAA" she wailed as she buried her face into her hands.

Jasper bowed her head in respect while simultaneously covering her eyes with her hair. She was still a proud warrior, but in that moment…she didn't give a rock and quietly let two small streams flow down her face.

* * *

They weren't the only ones affected by the disheartening outcome.

Peridot hesitantly crawled through the invisible entrance barrier and gripped the edge of the first stair to get a better look…to see if what just happened **actually** happened. Once she realized that it was real…her mouth just hung open.

"N-no…" she finally whispered. Slowly her lips quivered and her visor started to fog up due to the heated pools in her eyes.

Never in all her life did she mourn for anyone, and rightfully so since no one gave a flying asteroid about her. All gems were expendable. If one was shattered, it was just next gem up…like a never ending conveyor belt.

But…that little hybrid boy that she met a long time ago through her holographic screen, had shattered her preconceived notions about…well…**everything.** In the week that she got to know him, he had turned her life around for the better.

And now…he was gone.

She laid flat on the ground and buried her face into her arm enhancers, drenching them with her tears. This pain…this loss…she would rather be prodded with a thousand destabilizers than have to deal with this! But somehow, she managed to keep her mournful calls to mere hiccups so as to keep their presence a secret.

Lapis just hung limp in Garnet's hold, staring at the weeping green gem, then shifting her wide-eyed gaze on the immobile fusion lying on the scuffed floor. Immediately, flashbacks of Steven's broken body from that night re-played in the back her mind. But instead of shedding tears, her eyebrows tightly furrowed in rage and she sharply turned her head to face the stone-cold fusion. Her burning ire morphed her pupils into glowing orbs.

"**You**…" she growled at Garnet, but the leader didn't even acknowledge her frustrated tone, let alone look at her.

Her triple-eyed gaze was focused solely on Stevonnie, waiting with nerve wracking anticipation as evidenced by her twitching red eye.

But someone else did acknowledge the irate blue gem.

"Hey!"

Everyone turned around to face Amethyst, who stood with her hands clenched at her sides and her head down.

"What did Garnet say? **Not to be moved by what we see**. So I ain't lookin' at that! I'm lookin' at Stevonnie standin' up and probably giving Pearl and Jasper the talkin' to of a lifetime!" she declared.

A small smile appeared on Garnet's face, silently thanking Amethyst for her support and for effectively getting rid of the small twitch in her red eye.

Before Lapis and Peridot had a chance to refute her absurd statement, Garnet randomly started to count down.

"Five…four…three…two…one…"

* * *

All of sudden, a bright light spouted from the comatose fusion. Pearl uncovered her eyes and Jasper lifted her head up to see the amazing sight taking place before them.

"W-what's going on!?" Peridot asked.

Garnet set Lapis on the ground, whose irises returned to their normal color. She looked at her, then back down at the floor of the coliseum. Amethyst ran up to the entrance and looked down at the luminous display with stars in her eyes as well as a smug grin.

Garnet merely crossed her arm and smiled, "They're healing themselves. **With love.** Just like what Rose did for Steven when he was inside his gem. They're going to be just fine, just like I said they would."

And sure enough, Pearl and Jasper saw the small crack in the pink stone repair itself.

"It's…it's fixed? It's fixed! IT'S FIXED!" Pearl jovially declared when she saw Stevonnie take a deep breath. But they immediately opened their eyes and sat up as a sudden coughing fit wracked through their body. The coughing continued even though they grimaced in pain when they put pressure on their injured hand to sit up.

"Stevonnie!" the two gems simultaneously cried as they helped them sit up.

Pearl gently held their arms up and said, "Save the baby!"

Gradually, their coughing subsided and their breathing returned to normal.

Pearl carefully lowered their arms and they helped them lie back down on the ground. Stevonnie closed their eyes again.

Fearing the worst, Pearl asked "Stevonnie! Are you okay?!"

Jasper gave her the _'really'_ look, then punched her in the upper arm. Not super hard, but just enough to get her attention. Which in retrospect is still super hard for a gem like her.

"OW! What was that for?!" she asked as she rubbed the injured area.

"What's with you and those stupid questions?! Do they look okay to you?!" Jasper retorted.

"Well…no…but that's why I asked! I mean…look, it's just a natural response alright?!" she countered.

Before their bickering over how to deduce if someone was okay got out of hand, Stevonnie weakly said, "Guys…"

Jasper and Pearl quickly gave them their attention. "I'm…okay" they said with a small smile.

The two gems returned the gesture, even though the fusion couldn't see it.

"I just…need a minute" they said.

With that, they slowly rose their swollen wrist up and messed up hand to their mouth so they could lick it. Almost instantaneously, the swelling started to go down. They laid their arm back down along the side of their body and took another deep breath. Soon, their gem lit up again and their body was enveloped in a faint pink aura.

"…They're refreshing their energy" Jasper sighed in relief.

Pearl couldn't help but chuckle as her worries finally dissipated. She wiped her eyes and said, "…Thanks for teaching him that." Jasper nodded and they resumed their vigilant watch.

* * *

Outside the arena, Peridot had to cover her mouth to suppress her giddy laughter. "He's…okay? He's okay! They're okay!" she quietly cheered as she reached under her visor to wipe her eyes.

Amethyst merely plopped on the floor behind Lapis and Garnet, laid down on her back and happily sighed. "I knew it…" she whispered.

Lapis cracked a small smile when she heard that, but it quickly went away when she slowly turned her head to face the now sunglass donned fusion. "G-Garnet…I'm-"

"There's no need to apologize Lapis" Garnet responded as her gaze never the recovering fusion lying on the ground.

"Yes I do! I…I should've trusted you when you first asked me...I'm so sorry" she said as she hugged herself and looked at the floor in shame.

"…In hindsight…it's kinda hard to trust someone right away after spending many millennia distrusting everyone, don't you think?" she asked as she finally turned to face her.

Lapis lifted her head up and wiped the mist out of her eyes. Peridot got off the floor and walked over to hear the rest of the conversation.

"It was only because of the love that Steven showed you that you two started to trust him, right?" she asked.

Peridot and Lapis nodded their heads.

"And the only reason you followed Yellow Diamond, or any other diamond for that matter, was because of the fear they instilled in you, right?"

Once again they nodded in agreement.

"**Fear, doubt and worry is all belief in the worst outcome.** In Yellow's case, you feared her because you were worried about what she could do to your well-being. On the flip slide, **love is the belief in the best outcome.** Because no matter what, you'll make sure that everything will be alright for the one you care about. It's just like that story Steven told us. We can't give into stinkin' thinkin'" Garnet finished.

"Psh! Little Robbie wishes he could like Steven" Amethyst commented as she sat up.

Everyone chuckled at that notion.

"You're right about that" Lapis agreed.

"But…there's one thing I don't understand" Peridot said to Garnet.

"What's that Peridot?"

"You said that you saw multiple outcomes and that we were here to make sure that the **right **one occurred. How did you know that them stabbing themselves was the best outcome? If anything that sounds like the worst one!" she asked.

Garnet smiled and ruffled her triangle-shaped hair, although she flinched under her touch.

"**It was a vision of love**. Love gets rid of fear. Steven loves Connie so…"

"He made sure that everything would be alright…**for her**." Peridot realized as she filled in the blanks. "

Hm hm" Garnet hummed as she returned her attention back to the scene below them and everyone followed suit.

But Peridot's mind drifted elsewhere. "_If his love is only focused on her…then what about-" _

But her train of thought was interrupted when she heard Garnet hum again, but in a disturbed kind of way.

"Wh-what? What's wrong?!" Peridot asked.

"…They're gonna need a bucket."

"What?!" all of them asked.

* * *

Sure enough when the pink aura disappeared, Stevonnie quickly sat up again and held a hand over their mouth.

"What's wrong?!" Jasper asked as their cheeks expanded, but Pearl knew exactly what they needed.

Thinking fast she materialized a silver trashcan out of her gem and commanded, "Stevonnie! In here!"

They didn't need to be told twice as the bent over the metal container and expelled the toxic blood mixture. The thick, watery substance sloshed against the metallic can, and their gagging added to the sick sounding orchestra. Jasper was frozen in place whereas Pearl rubbed circles on their back and whispered, "It's okay Stevonnie. You're going to be just fine. You're okay." She also said that to steady her own jittery nerves so she wouldn't faint again like last time.

Unfortunately…Peridot wasn't so lucky. "Oh…my…stars" she uttered before blacking out.

Fortunately, Amethyst caught her in time and they carried the dazed gem behind the entrance wall so they could still remain hidden.

"How are we going to wake her up?!" Lapis asked.

"…With water" Garnet replied.

Lapis immediately got the hint and she formed a water sphere in her hand. "…You sure about this?" she asked and Garnet nodded her head.

"Yea…do it!" Amethyst happily whispered; she needed to see something funny after all the craziness that just went down.

Lapis sighed and dropped the water ball on Peridot's face. Well…at least it worked, even if it caused her to sputter and cough about.

"WHAT THE ROCK!?" she yelled, but Garnet quickly covered her mouth to shush her.

Amethyst covered her lips with her hands so her uncontrollable laughter wouldn't ring throughout the arena. But it was proving to be very difficult as she watched her try to dry her head by shaking it. Somehow…that worked; even her triangular hairstyle stayed intact.

"What was that for!?" she angrily whispered as she stood up.

"You fainted" Garnet flatly replied.

"Did you have to stimulate my senses like that?! And you should've let me stay fainted! I don't want to see that! What's going on with them anyway?!" she demanded.

Amethyst's chuckling suddenly went away as the depressing mood returned. Lapis took the initiative and explained Steven's recovery process.

Peridot just stared at her wide-eyed in shock and rubbed her gem. "Holy mother of diamond…I did **not** need to know that. Curse my curiosity and need for thorough details…" she said as swayed on her feet; Garnet held her under her arms to help steady her.

"You did ask" Amethyst commented.

"…I wish I didn't" she replied.

"They're going to be alright, Peridot" Garnet assured.

"Yea…we can't be moved by what we see" Lapis added and Garnet smiled at her.

* * *

"Jasper! Look in their bag and grab their water bottles! And a towel!" Pearl commanded.

That snapped her out of her stunned state of mind quickly heeded the command given to her.

"Uhhhhh…I…**hate**…doing…that" Stevonnie groaned as they spit out the last of the mucus-tasting substance.

"I know…I know" Pearl said as she shot a glance at the half-full container. "…_At least there wasn't that much to get rid_ _of"_ she thought before adverting her eyes.

"Here you go" Jasper said as she handed them an un-capped water bottle. Stevonnie graciously took it, put some water in their mouth and sloshed it around like mouthwash to get rid of that lingering taste.

"…_I need to brush my teeth **badly**"_ they thought as they spit the contaminated water out. Then they remembered, "Pearl, can you look in my bag and grab my little green pack of gum please?"

"Of course!" Pearl replied as she went over to the duffle bag.

"…Are you sure you're okay?" Jasper hesitantly asked as she looked inside the large can; this was **a lot **more than the time she punched Steven in the gut.

"I'm…fine" they answered as they chugged the rest of the water. They motioned for Jasper to hand them the other bottle and the towel. "Ahhhh…much better" they said as they finished drinking it; they wiped their mouth with the red towel to get rid of any residue.

"Here you go" Pearl said and she handed them the pack of gum.

"Thanks" they replied before popping the minty piece of green gum into their mouth. The cool sensation refreshed the inside of their mouth and quickly got rid of that metallic taste. "**So **much better" they said as they smelled their minty breath. "But…what are you going to do with that? And why do you have a trash can in your gem in the first place?" Stevonnie asked pointing to the bucket of grossness.

"We're going to bubble and **burn it**" Pearl stated as she encased the nauseating substance in a cream-colored bubble and transported it to the inner sanctum of the temple. "And after that night…I just wanted to be prepared" she quietly responded.

"But what in the world were you thinking stabbing your gem like that?! You could've died!" yelled Jasper.

"No, I wouldn't have" Stevonnie countered. "C'mon, did you really think I wouldn't have a plan when I did that?" they asked.

"It…it just looked bad from where we were standing and I had flashbacks of…the underground cavern" Pearl explained and Jasper nodded in agreement.

"Oh…right. Well…let me explain. Remember when you guys were knocked after I sang that song and that slimy monster came out of you? Well, the same thing would've happened to me if that jackal thing got out of my body like that. Then you guys would've had to fight it, and I have no idea what happens if you touch those things. I couldn't risk you guys getting swallowed up by it so I drew it out at the source, my gem. While it was coming out, I used my healing spit by drooling onto the sword. It flowed down it like a river, and it covered the crack on my gem. And everything else just healed up like normal" they finished.

All Pearl could do was let out a small laugh. "_Even after everything they went through…they still thought about our safety first"_ she thought as she rubbed her forehead in disbelief.

"I'm just glad it's all over…" Jasper exasperated as she ran her hand through her hair.

"…No. It's not." Stevonnie commented.

"What? What's wrong?! Do I need to bring the trash can back?! Do you need to go back to the house to rest!?" Pearl frantically asked.

"No. we're staying right here" they said, crossing their arms. Their eyebrows were slightly furrowed down in agitation. The two gems felt like they were shrinking under their incriminating gaze.

"Fighting's over. It's time to talk. And something tells me that this is going to be one of those things that I'm gonna have to sit down for…isn't it?" they asked.

Pearl and Jasper meekly nodded their heads before looking at the ground and shuffling their feet in place.

So Stevonnie sat down Indian-style on the floor, stirring up some of the dirt and sending the particles into the air. It seemed as though the fallen spirits were interested in hearing them explain themselves as well. Jasper and Pearl slowly followed suit, but they still didn't look them in the eye.

* * *

"Now…WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!" they yelled and their mentors flinched from the tone of their voice.

They didn't answer right away. I mean…where would they even start?! They couldn't say anything. Nothing justified them turning Stevonnie into a dark version of themselves, putting them in danger just to satisfy their own personal egos and putting them through another painful recovery process. But the rapid finger tapping on their knee signaled that the irked fusion wanted to hear something.

"Well?!" they irritably asked, causing them to flinch again.

Pearl continued to look at the ground while ringing her hands together. Jasper figured that she didn't want to talk nor bring up her personal sordid history. She sighed and got the ball rolling so to speak.

"…It's like this" she began.

She went into detail about how the argument started, being mindful to leave out the reason behind Pearl's thought processes at the time. Then she transitioned into the duel between them and how she carried and displayed that superior vibe throughout the past few days, culminating to what just happened.

Stevonnie just stared at them wide-eyed for a brief moment. But as soon as they finished absorbing what Jasper just said, they tightly clenched their fists, closed their eyes and their lips morphed into an irritated scowl.

Instinctively, Jasper and Pearl scooted back in fear that Dark Stevonnie could resurface. Thankfully when they opened their eyes there was no purple haze, but their voice was laced with rage when they boomed, "ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?! That's the reason why you put us in danger?! **You two were arguing about two sides of the same thing! **I swear I have half a mind to smash your ge-"

But they stopped themselves by taking a deep breath before they caused irreparable damage with their words. That's how this whole mess got started in the first place!

"S-Stevon-" but Pearl's stuttering was halted when Stevonnie held up their ring finger to silence her.

"…Give me a minute" they gritted out as they rubbed their forehead. They took a deep breath and released the long exhale.

"…Jasper." Stevonnie surprisingly said with an even tone, even though there a still a tinge of a venomous bite to it. The striped warrior straightened up when they said her name. "There's a saying on earth: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Like I said before when Lars was messing with me: there's a time to fight, a time to talk, and sometimes there's a time to just walk away."

"But-"

"I know" they said cutting her off. "I know you tried walking away, but **she** wouldn't let it go. That being said…Pearl."

The lithe gem slowly raised her irises to make contact with theirs while wringing her sash in her hands.

"Why were you pushing Jasper's buttons like that over what she thought about Connie? I thought you knew that she's a "show me what you got" kind of person. You have to prove yourself in her sight before she changes her mind about **anything**. I mean, that's what Steven had to do when he released her; that's how he gained her respect. Or was I wrong in assuming that? Because the way you guys talked about home world, you have to prove your worth to the diamonds just so you could even live."

"N-no…I mean yes you're right…but I just…" Pearl fumbled around.

"…Just what?" they asked.

Pearl didn't answer; instead her eyes darted across the scuffed floor.

They sighed and said, "I don't understand why you were even bothered by what she said about Connie in the first place. If anyone should be bothered by it, it's her due to what she's been through!"

* * *

With that little slip, the dual personalities really started to break through and it was exhibited through their vocal chords.

"**Wait…is it okay that I said that? I mean that's kinda personal and-**"

"_It's fine. It's not like it's the first time, I've been dealing with this from other kids for a while. And it doesn't affect me…anymore."_

With that external affirmation, the two minds became one again.

* * *

"I don't care about what Jasper said. And do you know why?" they asked.

"B-because of how you fought against us?" Pearl carefully answered.

They did a double blink then replied, "Well…that's a tiny part of it. But mainly it's because **I choose to ignore it**. Connie's been doing it all her life with all those insensitive kids around her. It's just like the rat sensei on TV said, _'We can choose to ignore words and let them wash over us, like a river over stone. Only we can make words into **weapons.**_' **Hopefully** by now you two have realized how dangerous negative speaking can be."

They furiously nodded their heads with that statement.

"So why did you make Jasper's words into weapons?" they asked.

"…"

Pearl tried to open her mouth, but her internal shame stopped any kind of coherent sounds from coming out of it. "I-I'm sorry…I just can't" she finally managed to say as more tears pricked through her eyes.

"Why not?" they asked as they raised one eyebrow.

"It's…too painful to say" she squeaked out.

"**Painful?!** And what I went through was just a walk in the park?!" they countered.

"I know, I know! It wasn't!" she said grabbing her head and running her hands through her drooping hair.

Stevonnie huffed in annoyance. "_Why is this so difficult for her? Why can't she just…talk!?"_ they thought.

Then their eyes got slightly bigger when a stray memory entered their combined mind. Pearl acted this way after the first expulsion of negative energy. Then what Jasper said about quartzes and how Pearl was so dismissive about…

"…Does this have to do with **the caste system** back on home world?" they asked out loud as they put some of the pieces together.

Although she didn't say anything, her frozen body and wide eyes spoke volumes of the shame she felt. Stevonnie's agitation gradually disappeared when they saw her; Connie remembered feeling this way when the other kids judged her just because of her looks. Needless to say it didn't help with her self-confidence.

"…Did it have to do with your place in the system?" they gently asked. Pearl hugged herself and looked at the floor.

Taking that as a yes, Stevonnie sighed and said, "Alright…I get it. It's hard to handle things and people have different ways of dealing with them. But they must be dealt with before you, **or someone else**, is consumed by that negative gunk again."

"Stevonnie, I am so so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen" Pearl regretted.

"Me neither. I'm…I'm sorry" Jasper said as she bowed her head.

"…I really don't think you two **realize** what you almost did" they stated.

"We do! We put you two in a dangerous situation-"

"Forget the situation! Think about the outcome!" they yelled cutting Pearl off.

"We know, we really hurt you two!" Jasper asserted.

Stevonnie irritably groaned and yelled, "Not only did you two hurt them and create a giant negativity monster, you could've** killed **me!** Stevonnie! **I would've **ceased** to exist!**" **

The air grew still with that crushing proclamation, even the floating dirt particles settled back down onto the floor.

"What would've happened if Connie decided that Steven was too dangerous to be around anymore, that she didn't want to be friends with him?! What would've happened if Steven felt so guilty about what transpired that he'd cut himself off from her for good, since he's the one that suggested that you train her in the first place?! The love that they have for each other would've disappeared forever…and so would I. And for what?! You fighting over the same thing! Nature and Nurture!" they finished.

Even though the terrible, yet thankfully adverted, consequence crushed their souls, Jasper couldn't help but ask, "Nature and nurture?"

They looked at her with an incredulous gaze when she asked that. But they took another deep breath to steady their mind. "_Right…gotta remember. She's never experienced this…"_ they said as their hot blood cooled down a bit.

* * *

"How can I explain it?" they asked themselves as the scratched their heads. "Hmmmm…Oh! The Veggie Guru!"

"Veggie Guru?" Pearl and Jasper asked.

"…Right, never mind. You'll have to watch the Chowder episode to know who he is. But anyway, forget about it for now…okay? Okay. So, on Earth there are many different kinds of seeds that grow into specific plants. That's **nature**; it's already been decided what they'll be, right?"

Pearl and Jasper nodded their heads in understanding and Stevonnie continued, "Now, nature needs to be **nurtured** in order to reach its full potential. Seeds need the hot sun, cool water and rich dirt in order to grow. Now they can grow just fine like that on their own, but when a person with a kind heart helps them along as well by providing them more than just the essentials, they can grow into bigger, stronger, and if it's an apple tree, tastier plants!"

"Just like with us. **We're seed**. But the difference between us and a plant is that nature puts no limits on us; we can grow up to be whoever we want to be and do all kinds of things!" they exclaimed.

"I mean Steven can sing, play music, cook, and draw! And Connie plays music too! And tennis and paint pictures with her words when she reads!" Stevonnie blushed as their two halves complimented each other.

"And Connie wants to be President… err…one of Earth's leaders, even though she wasn't **born** one. Like you said Jasper, we have inherited traits that'll give us an advantage and make things easier for us to do than others, but it'll mean nothing if we don't tend to it."

"Steven didn't even know he was a king until his mom told him. He's just naturally compassionate and insightful. All he wants to do is help people…just like **a true leader**. Connie has to tend to her desire by studying hard in school and opening up to others because she's not naturally gifted like Steven, but would that make her any less of a leader? And on the flip side, if Steven's natural gift didn't grow with the right things…it could've died or become something worse."

Jasper and Pearl shuddered when they envisioned the **worst** possibility.

"There's no **right** way to become…well…anything! I mean to be trained by an intergalactic race how to fight?! You can't get any more way out of the norm than that! You gave us the hot sun with your training, the cool rain with your praise and the rich dirt with your knowledge" they praised.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Jasper and Pearl finally smiled.

"Besides, if everybody…**everything**…was the same, it'd be a really boring place, don't you think? And without **love**, it'd be even worse" they summed up.

Pearl and Jasper ruefully nodded with that notion, seeing as though that's what they went through back on home world.

"…And you two are doing it with us right now. The hot sun nurturing part of it I mean. We needed this firm hand…but I never would've thought it would come like this…" Jasper said trying to put together her thoughts into coherent sentences.

She ran her hand through her hair and bitterly uttered, "Rock…I feel like such a pebble right now… I just wanna jump into a lava pit and melt."

"**That's the easy way.** Learning from your mistakes and correcting them may be harder, but it takes a lot more courage…therefore making it more admirable. After all **failure isn't a defeat, it's a reset button and you try again with more experience.**" Stevonnie said with a small smile.

Little diamonds appeared in Pearl's eyes as she admirably gazed upon the unbelievable fusion. "_…They've come so far…and here I am stuck in the past…and I almost brought them down with me." _With that realization more tears formed in her eyes.

"S-Stevonnie! I'm so sorry! There's no excuse for what we've done! I know…I know we deserved to be hated for what we did, but please…I'm begging you! Please forgive us…please…" Pearl cried as she stared right into their eyes and nervously wrung her sash in her hands.

Jasper looked on in anticipation as she squeezed her fists.

Stevonnie closed their eyes and exhaled.

"…**I forgive you**."

"…_hah!_" Pearl breathed out as a big, open grin replaced her sorrowful countenance. Even Jasper sported a small grin as her tensed up body relaxed when she heard the news.

"**But" **

That accursed word dispelled the jubilant feeling within them, replacing it yet again with anxious tension.

"You two have some **serious** making up to do after that stunt you pulled. Because as it stands, **I don't trust you**. As far as training goes any way. You **broke** that student/teacher relationship big time" they clarified.

"Right now, you two are **moldy donuts**; I still need you to train me because you're the best there is. I need you so I can** survive **when it's time to fight. But if there was another qualified person to train me, I'd go to them in a heartbeat" they extenuated by snapping their fingers.

Jasper and Pearl flinched from the tiny sound, but the striped gem looked at the ground as sweat beads slid down her forehead.

_"You're only here out of necessity."_ Yellow Diamond's words boomed through her head.

"_No…they're not like her. They **can't** turn into her! But…what if-"_

"Jasper" Stevonnie spoke, ending the tiger mentor's distressed train of thought.

She slowly lifted her eyes and met their surprisingly soft gaze. "I'm not a real diamond, remember? **I'm not her"** they reassured.

Jasper was flabbergasted as her mouth was completely agape. "H-How did you know-"

"I…kinda figured it out after I said it and when I saw your reaction. I'm sorry…I-I didn't mean to come across like that" they apologized.

"No! Don't be sorry! We're the ones that screwed up!" she asserted and Pearl nodded in agreement.

"You got that right!" they bit back, causing the two gems to recoil.

But they immediately toned it down. "**sigh** Look, what I'm trying to say is that just because you two did one bad**…**okay…one** REALLY bad thing**, doesn't mean that you'll be bad forever. And it definitely won't erase the love I have for you guys. All I'm saying is that you'll have to work at rebuilding our trust in you. Convince us that you'll keep us safe, that you have **our** best interests in mind instead of inflating your egos and if nothing else…**don't EVER do this again!**" they firmly articulated.

"Stevonnie, I promise you we'll earn you're trust. We'll make this right, no matter what!" Pearl assured.

"…I appreciate that, but **words** aren't going to cut it this time around" Stevonnie stated as they glared at her.

Pearl shrunk in her place; she realized that she said that same sentence before. And now she realized that she broke that promise.

"You two are going to have to **show** us" they asserted.

"…H-How do we show you?" Jasper asked.

Stevonnie crossed their arms and hummed in thought for a moment. "Well…for starters whenever we train, you train us together. No more separate sessions. And **we'll be fused **because it actually works better for us. Connie will learn quartz-style fighting and Steven will learn sword techniques at the same time."

"…So you can be a **cinnamon-sugar** donut" Jasper said.

Then the light bulb finally went off in Pearl's head. "That's what you meant!" she realized and Jasper nodded her head.

"Yea. That's all I ever wanted. To have you guys see how awesome your different abilities could be when they're combined…like a cinnamon-sugar donut" they explained.

"…We can see it right now" Jasper smiled and Pearl followed suit as she wiped a stray tear out of her eye.

Stevonnie proudly smiled at that notion.

"…I know we've already said it, but we're really really sorry. And thank you for giving us another chance" Jasper said.

"Yes! Thank you Stevonnie. Thank you. Just thank you for being **you!"** Pearl added as more tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Hey…it's just what a family do, right?" Stevonnie smiled as they opened their arms wide.

Pearl and Jasper didn't waste another second as they rushed into their arms for the much needed comforting embrace, even though they almost tackled them. Pearl's eyes were working on overdrive as the tears continued to fall. Jasper had a few drops break through as well, but settled on squeezing them harder, pouring all of her gratitude into the hug. Soon an array of diamond fractals surrounded the trio, dismissing of any lingering fear within their minds and reaffirming that love…**even tough love**…is the greatest power.

* * *

"Now **that's** the Stevonnie I know!" Garnet grinned.

"Uh huh! They know how to handle business!" Amethyst chimed in.

But Lapis and Peridot just stared at the scene…completely speechless. They could feel the tingly yet rejuvenating aura emanating from the fusion. It felt like Steven's aura…but warmer. More intense. There were no words to describe it. It just felt…wonderful!

"Is that what fusion…feels like?" Peridot asked.

"Mm hm. Stevonnie is the **perfect** example of how fusion is meant to be. Just like me." Garnet happily declared.

"Wow…" she breathed out and Lapis nodded in agreement as a big smile crossed her features; more so of the fact that she was thrilled that that monster didn't change them.

Garnet adjusted her shades and said, "One day…you two will get to experience that. In fact…all of us will."

"Wait what? When?!" Peridot asked but all Garnet said was, "C'mon. They're about to do some more training and we got some drills to build. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that they get done on time so that nothing happens to **them."**

Everyone nodded at that, but Peridot wouldn't let go of her earlier prediction.

"C'mon Garnet, tell me! Just a hint!" she pleaded.

Garnet ruffled her hair again and replied, "Patience Peridot. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

"Ruin it for me! I demand you ruin it for me!" she yelled; luckily for them they were at the bottom of the stairs so she wouldn't be heard.

"Nope." Garnet playfully replied, causing Amethyst to chuckle.

"Grrrr….Lapis, c'mon! You have to assist me in extracting the information out of her! Aren't you curious as well?!" she asked her.

"I am. But…I've waited over five-thousand years to be free and it came in the most unexpected way. So long as they don't turn into Dark Stevonnie again"

"They won't" Garnet readily assured.

"Then I don't mind waiting to see what this next surprise will be like. If it's with Steven, then I **know** it'll be amazing" she smiled.

But Peridot wasn't having it. "GA-"

Her annoyed outburst was cut short as the beam of light transported them back to work site, to continuing working on the machines to not only preserve the planet, but to save the millions of trapped gems so they could experience this as well.

* * *

**_Later that evening_**_…_

Tiny stars started to break through the burnt-orange sky. The embodiment of true friendship sat on the edge of the cliff side with their confidant resting right behind them, just beyond "Efflorescence Spring" – previously known as "Dead Man's Mouth" (Steven believed that a name change was in order). There were still little moss flowers dotting the spring's surface, ready to germinate and grow again.

Stevonnie watched the sun extinguish itself as it sunk beneath the watery horizon. The golden hue reflected off the rippling surface, almost as if the rays were painting the sea with a soft brush. Soon, those rays found a new canvas to paint as they reflected off of the crystalline sword they held up in the air.

Soon the refracted rays gave way to their own reflection; the pair of youthful eyes that combined into a singular, lustrous and mature set. They stared at their reflection for a bit. It was still so surreal to them that that entity took over their body like that. They must've looked extremely scary if Jasper and Pearl didn't want to tell them what they looked like.

"_If it looked as bad as I felt…"_ they thought as they shook their head to banish a horrific self-created mental image. A heavy sigh escaped their lips as they sheathed the sword and placed it back inside of Lion's mane.

"Man…what a day…" they said as they laid against the fluffy body of their sworn protector. His internal growling matched their exhausted sentiment to a T.

"Don't worry about it bud. I know you would've done something if you were there" they assured as they petted his mane. That quieted his agitated rumblings as he settled further down onto the grassy carpet.

Stevonnie followed suit as they nestled further into his solid body and closed their eyes. The calming sounds of the ocean tide created a serene melody that helped them reach a meditative state. Instinctively, they reached into Lion's mane and pulled out their hand crafted guitar. They started strumming random notes that seamlessly flowed together, adding to the soothing natural orchestra.

"…Hey Steven?"

"Yea?"

"Wh-when Stevonnie was talking to Pearl and Jasper about…y'know…being gone for good…did you...I mean were you actually thinking-"

"…It was a thought that didn't stay for long, but I guess that was one of Stevonnie's fears. Fear just sucks all the common sense out of people and only makes'em have a stinkin' thinkin' mind. **I know **that I know that you'll always be by my side and I'm really grateful for that. Thank you Connie."

"N-no! You don't need to thank me! And…y-you're right. When it got real dangerous I thought…maybe I'd hold you do-…no. Forget it! I'm not giving in to stinkin' thinkin! I'm the grateful one, I should be thanking you! I mean you went up against your own **family** to protect me! A complete stranger to your world. Not to mention fighting that jackal monster…on your own like that."

A small chuckle rumbled throughout the combined being.

"Connie, of course I'd protect you, from anyone or anything. And don't sell yourself short either, you fought just as hard to protect me too! So let's just say we're both grateful and thankful."

A smile formed on the fusion's lips.

"Besides…you're not a stranger. You're a part of my universe and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you Connie, you're my best friend in the whole world!"

Once those words passed through their shared lips, a heated blush followed suit and Connie's mind immediately went quiet.

* * *

"_N-no one has ever said that to me before…except my parents. And he said it so casually! I'm reading way too much into this…friends can say they love each other…right? I mean even Stevonnie said that they're made of our love so maybe-"_

* * *

After a couple of minutes of not hearing the other half, Stevonnie stopped playing and opened their eyes.

"Hey Connie? Are you still there? What's wrong?"

"Y-yes! I'm here, nothing's wrong!"

"You sure? I guess it is getting late. If you want to split up-"

"NO!"

Stevonnie jumped a little from the outburst, even Lion cracked one eye open.

"I mean…no. I-I want to stay like this for a little while longer…please? Being right here…like this…it's perfect! I love it and I…I love you too Steven."

A big grin formed on Stevonnie's face and soon their combined laugh rang throughout the still night air. Soon the light from their gem added to the vivid starlight on the sapphire sky. "Whoaaa…" they marveled.

"Oh yea! I forgot to tell you that our gems glow when we're really happy! And Garnet said it's the first sign of ultimate compatibility."

"…_So that means that **I'll** be here for a long time"_ another voice quietly thought.

They picked up their instrument again and started playing a familiar tune. Connie recognized it as the same melody that got rid of those bad vibes when she returned from the tennis tournament. But instead of just an instrumental, simple yet profound words entered their united mind, echoing the sentiment they felt for one another.

* * *

_I love you too much  
to live without you loving me back  
I love you too much  
Lion's my witness and this is a fact_

_I know I belong  
when we sing this song  
there's love above love and it's ours  
'cause I love you too much_

* * *

Lion's perked up once he heard the captivating song come out of their youthful vocal chords. He opened his eyes and smiled at the light show taking place.

But he wasn't the only witness to the inspirational concert. A familiar fusion stood at the bottom of the hill, sporting the biggest grin she could muster.

* * *

_I live for your touch  
I think of your name night after night  
I love you too much  
There's only one feeling and I know it's right_

_I know I belong_  
_when we sing this song_  
_There's love above love and it's ours_  
_'cause I love you too much_

* * *

Their luminous aura intensified as they increased the tempo of their playing.

And they weren't the only ones.

Try as she might, Garnet couldn't contain her own light and she let it shine across the skies along with theirs, combining it into a dazzling aurora. She just hoped that they would be too caught up in their song to notice the difference in hue.

* * *

_Heaven knows that I have been praying  
to have a friend here by my side  
without you a part of me is missing  
to protect you and our home I will fight_

* * *

They switched back to a rapturous instrumental break. Galaxies appeared in their eyes when they finally noticed how big the aurora was; it nearly covered the entire sky! There's no way that the whole town could sleep through that!

* * *

_I know I belong  
our aura so strong  
there's love above love and it's ours  
'cause I love you too much_

With that they stood up and sung as loud as they could. Garnet had to restrain herself from joining them.

_I love you too much  
I love you too much  
Lion's my witness and this is a fact  
you live in my soul  
Stevonnie's our goal_

_There's love above love and its mine 'cause I love you  
there's love above love and it's yours cause I love you  
there's love above love and it's mine cause **they** love me so much_

* * *

They were breathless once they finished belting out those powerful notes, but they still had enough energy to laugh. They fell back onto the grass (Lion had to move out of the way) and continued laughing until their sides hurt. Soon their mirth as well as the light show died down to a more personal level. Their subdued chuckling matched the flame-like glow of their gem.

"I think my mom liked our song"

"Y-you think so?"

"I know so!"

"…And so did I."

Stevonnie and Lion quickly turned around when they heard the new voice. "G-Garnet! Wh-What…I mean…you" they sputtered.

"Shhh…it's alright Stevonnie. You don't have to be embarrassed" the ecstatic leader assured.

Garnet came up to them and they all sat down on the soft, earth-grown carpet; Lion sat down in his previous spot behind them. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I didn't see you back home, so I used my future vision to see where you were."

"O-Oh. Did…did Pearl and Jasper tell you that we fused for training?" they nervously asked.

"…No. I saw what happened to you earlier today. **All of us did**. I felt a disturbance and I rushed everyone over to the sky arena."

With that the light from the rose-colored gem disappeared.

"…I'm sorry" they quietly said.

"Why?" Garnet asked.

"W-well you said that f-fusions are based on love and-"

Before any tears could flow out of their eyes, Garnet grabbed them in tight hug. "If what I just saw wasn't based on love, then I don't know what love is anymore" she replied.

Stevonnie chuckled at that as they gripped her tighter.

"Stevonnie, I want you to listen to me and remember this for the rest of your life. **You are fine just the way you are**. No two ways about it! You will continue to grow and mature with every experience you face. Some experiences won't be good, but you've proven that your devotion to one another gives you the power to change it around for the better. You didn't give into the darkness nor the pressure imposed on you by Jasper and Pearl."

"You stood your ground, even though it was a difficult situation because you knew in your heart that that duel was wrong. **You didn't back down, just like a true leader.** I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of you. You even taught everyone a valuable lesson and showed them a wondrous experience. I probably sound like a broken record, but you **never** cease to amaze me. You always manage to step it up another level" Garnet praised as she ran her fingers through their hair.

Stevonnie just nodded into her chest, trying to stifle their happy hiccups. A moment later, they released from the hug.

"Thanks Garnet" Stevonnie said.

"**Sisi Ni Sawa"** she replied.

They quirked an eyebrow up and asked "What does that mean?"

"**We are the same**. When you been around as long as I have, you pick up a few phrases. And I'm more than happy to guide another experience onto the right path." she smiled.

Stevonnie returned the gesture and their faint glow returned.

"And I just loved your song! So did Ruby and Sapphire; they were completely overjoyed by it! But it might've gotten a little out of hand…so to speak" she sheepishly said as she held up her glowing hands.

"…Oh! So that's why the aurora was so big!" Stevonnie realized.

"I'm sorry, really I am. That was a private moment for you and I just couldn't help myself" she apologized.

"No, it's okay! It was so cool! Now I know what you meant when you, Pearl, Amethyst and my mom glowed together. I bet yours was a billion times bigger than that!" they imagined with starry eyes.

Garnet chuckled as a blush crossed her features. "Yes…it was quite the sight" she commented.

"Maybe all of us can top it one day" Stevonnie said.

Garnet rubbed their head and said, "You keep being you and there's no doubt in my mind that it will happen." With that declaration, she stood up and said, "C'mon, it's getting late. I'll make you some cookies and afterward you and Lion can take Connie home."

"Aww…I have to un-fuse now?" they asked.

"I didn't say that" Garnet grinned and Stevonnie got the hint and smiled as well. She helped them up and with their furry bodyguard in tow, the two embodiments of love traveled down the cliff side, lighting the way with their blazing gemstones.

* * *

**_Meanwhile…_**

Holographic screens.

Sparking yellow circuitry.

All the signs of technological advancement partially obscured the view of millions of planetoid shards from the central chamber of the warm-colored gem leader. They floated along the hazy purple sky, meandering along with no end in sight…as if they were trying to seek out the rest of their pieces and reunite with them. But for now…they were nothing more than trophies. Displays of gem conquest dotting the skyline of the crystalline planet.

Conduit lines.

Plasma roadways.

Alloys of unknown origin.

All of these components somehow meshed together with the natural rocky terrain, creating a sick, life-support network on the abused planet. But none of that concerned the head of the gem population. In her mind…everything was **perfect.** And it will continue to be that way, so long as everyone stayed in their place and everything flowed smoothly.

**BZZT** Yellow Diamond! Aquamarine Facet 4RTL Cut G52 reporting in with urgent news!"

So much for that.

"…Proceed" came the flat line response of said matriarch.

"Thank you, my diamond. Our sensors in quadrant 7H4 of the Solaris system have picked up a faint distress signal from the planet Earth" the gem announced.

"That's all?!" came a snarky response. "You wasted the precious time of Yellow Diamond with such a trivial call?! Isn't it yo-"

"Be silent" Yellow Diamond commanded with her naturally powerful voice.

The Pearl that was by her side immediately bowed and begged, "Yes my diamond. Forgive me."

A small smirk appeared on the light blue reporting gem's lips, but it quickly went away when Yellow Diamond gave her her attention again.

"Hmmm. When did you pick up this signal?" she asked.

"Just now, my diamond. But it seems as though multiple signals have been broadcasted. The records indicate that they were sent out…four deci-days ago. The equivalent to eight Earth rotations."

"…I see. Thank you for your report Aquamarine. Keep those notes on standby" she commanded.

"Yes, my diamond!" and with that the screen blinked off.

"_I never should've sent that runt. Why did I listen to her pathetic begging?" _she thought then commanded, "Pearl!"

"Y-yes my diamond?" she skittishly asked.

"Summon Commander Jet. Facet K1LL Cut D7E."

Pearl gulped when she heard the name, but nonetheless heeded her command as she brought up the divisional unit line. "Contacting Commander Jet. Facet K1LL Cut D7E. Report. I repeat, contacting Commander Jet. Facet K1LL Cut D7E. Report."

Not a moment later, the upper body of a black gem appeared. Her head was wrapped in black cloth with tattered edges. The only thing visible of her shadowed face were her ice blue eyes.

"Commander Jet. Reporting in" the figure replied in a surprisingly soft voice. It was almost alluring.

"Thank you Pearl, I'll take it from here. Now, leave us."

"Right away" she quickly obeyed and dashed out of the room.

There was no way she could handle being in the same room as Commander Jet. Aka…**Pitch Black.** She would've soiled her yellow leotard if she possessed the necessary organs.

Her whole demeanor was just…unsettling.

"_Why in the world would Yellow Diamond need to contact her?!" _she thought.

She considered pressing her ear up against the door to listen in on what they were talking about, but thought against it. She did **not** want to end up on her hit list.

That gem was good at reconnaissance like any other jet, but she was a rarity. The speed of a Jet and the strength of a Carnelian. Now **that** was deadly combination no one has ever seen nor beaten. Her resume of conquering other life forms was long and impressive. If she set her sights on you, her black body would be the last thing you'll ever see. Just that thought alone sent shivers throughout the pale pearl's lithe frame; even her super pointy hairstyle drooped a bit.

"My diamond" Commander Jet bowed. "How may I assist you?"

"I want you to go to the planet Earth and check on the status of the cluster. That's it. Is that understood?"

"Yes, my diamond. I'll go there right away."

"Before you take off, I want you to take this with you." With that she summoned a bubble containing a round, faceted gem whose true color was obscured by the yellow tint of the encasing.

"…An escort? Not to question your decision, my diamond, but I do not require another gem to accompany me" Commander Jet said, slightly offended by the gesture.

"Think of it as…insurance. Your mission is strictly reconnaissance. The previous group that was sent to check on my cluster has sent out a distress signal. I suppose this mission was too hard, **even for the likes of them**. Even so, I will not risk the life of my top commander. And besides…why deny her a chance for a **homecoming?**" she insisted as she sent the gem to her location.

"…I see. I appreciate your concern, my diamond" Jet bowed when she had the bubble in her possession.

"I expect a quick report. Don't **not** fail me." Yellow Diamond asserted with a narrowed glare.

"I will be swift, my diamond."

"And if you see those three incompetent crags… pass on this message. **"I warned you not to make me regret it.**"

Although her mouth was covered by a shawl, Yellow Diamond could tell just by looking at Jet's narrowed eyes that she was sporting her hunter's grin.

"Understood" she said before the screen blinked away.

With that business taken care of, Yellow Diamond got out of her gigantic throne and walked towards the massive windows of her chamber. Her giant heels clacked against the marble floor. She stared at the sea of rock shards.

"…_Rose"_ she bitterly thought as she rubbed the diamond on her chest.

"HRNG!" she grunted when a sudden pang of discomfort coursed through her gem. But she shook it off.

"…_Even in death, you still resist us.** After everything I've done for you.** No matter. Your illogical ideals will crumble along with your precious planet. And it'll be by the forms of your own followers"_ she smirked.

With that confident notion, she returned to her seat to resume managing her empire and searching for one **key** piece to make it unstoppable.

"Now…where are they?"

* * *

**Oh no...more gems are coming to Earth! And who or what is Yellow Diamond searching for? Why did her gem hurt? What did she do for Rose? Will Steven and Connie be able to trust ******Jasper and Pearl again? What about Garnet's prediction? So many questions for the start of 2016, so stay tuned for the next arc, "One on One." ****

****I based home world off of the Quartz Quadrant from "Sonic CD."****

****Wow...30 chapters...I'll give myself a pat on the back, especially from how far I've come. I mean just...whoa. Barely over 1,000 words to freakin' 15,000. Thanks you guys so much for being on this journey with me and I hope your new year is starting off on a good note.****

****This chapter was very insightful to me. Then again it seems like the majority of this story is filled with so many lessons that I reread it just to pump myself up and be a better person. The "Failure is a reset button" quote was a quote of the day at my job and it just fit...since Steven likes video games and such. ****

****I based the argument between Stevonnie Jasper and Pearl off of me and my parents. Sure they'll be mad in the beginning and I'll receive my just punishment, but no matter what they'll still love me and we move on, learn from it and forget about it. Shout out to my awesome mom and dad!****

****And I wanted to thank weirdgirl332 for the "nature/nurture" terminology. Even mixed in some "Chowder" in there as well as "The Lion Guard". I'm just all over the place but it somehow comes together :).****

****And like Garnet said, love doesn't have to be that single definition of a relationship; I love my friends just like I love my younger siblings; we all care for one another.****

****I don't own Steven Universe, Chowder, "The Book of Life" music catalogue, just my imagination.****


	31. Chapter 31

The remote beach abode was slowly being filled the rays of a new dawn, ready to greet its sole inhabitants. However…none of them were ready to experience what the new day had in store.

Instead of completing his sleep quota, the disturbed feline was in the upstairs loft next to the young boy's bed. His eyes were glued to the squirming mass underneath the blankets and his ears were tuned in to the barely audible grunting that emanated from the boy's vocal chords. Lion laid his heavy paw on Steven's body and gently shook him, trying to wake him up from his restless slumber.

But his concerned gesture couldn't get through the child's tormented mind; the vile voices made **sure **of that.

"Hrrmmmm…mmmrrr….auuuuu"

The familiar yet un-welcomed dark void once again swirled around the frightened child. He tried his hardest to block the perverse sound from entering his ears by covering them with his hands, but it proved to be futile.

_You liked the power, didn't you? You'll always turn to rage in your darkest hour. It's inevitable. _

"N-no…I won't" Steven weakly refuted as he closed his eyes tighter.

_You can't deny it forever. The quicker you embrace it-_

"I'm not embracing anything like that!"

…_So you say. It's in your blood. __**You're a diamond**__. Why fight it? You'll need it if you want to become an effective leader. Unless…you don't want to be._

Steven was silent as the sinister, yet surprisingly soft voice uttered that last observation.

Did he **really** want to be a leader? After everything that happened…no matter what he did to help his family, it always seemed like they were **always** back at square one. Every step they took, it seemed like they were taking two steps back. It was frustrating to say the least. He already gave up his life **three** times. How much more is one person supposed to give?!

"I…I" Steven stammered.

Malevolent satisfaction coursed through the dark entity as it sported an invisible grin. The change in vocal tactics was proving to have its desired effect upon the confused youth.

"_I know you're frustrated. Those gems are so thick-headed. Their power of retention are as wet as a duck's backside. But I can help you…" _it persuaded in an alluring voice.

Soon a tall figure with hazy purple eyes emerged from the shadows. Steven immediately recognized the being as Stevonnie, but something wasn't right. Their skin was much darker than Connie's, their flowy hair was spiker than a porcupine's quills, and their muscles and height were almost double in size.

"…_**Dark Stevonnie"**_he realized as he strained his neck to look up at the imposing being.

The corrupted entity offered their hand.

"_This can be yours. Embrace it…let it control you. __**Make**__ those peons respect you!"_ it yelled.

As soon as it raised its vocal volume, Steven snapped out of his hypnotized trance and got a **real** good look at Dark Stevonnie.

Their signature red t-shirt, blue blouse and jean shorts attire was tattered. Scars, and really **deep**, cut to the bone type ones at that, covered half of their body…as if they had been beaten with a braided leather whip. If anything, they looked a shell merely meant to be a punching bag, ready to be discarded at any given time.

Clenching his fists he yelled, "NO! I'm stronger than that thing will ever be! I won't be your puppet! LEAVE ME ALONE!" With that, a blinding light erupted from his gemstone, banishing the dark miasma from his presence.

**GASP**

Steven flailed around in his blankets before sitting up and throwing them off of him. His rapid breathing matched his fast eyes as they darted up, down and all around the room through constricted pupils. Soon his frantic gaze met Lion's gaze. Steven's pupils returned to their normal size once he realized he was safe.

"…Just a dream" he breathed out as he wiped the cold sweat off of his forehead with his pajama sleeve.

Lion growled softly and nuzzled his muzzle against his master's cheek.

Steven showed a weak smile and replied, "I'm okay bud. Just a bad dream" as he petted Lion's velvety mane.

Lion huffed, clearly not buying Steven's proclaimed state of mind, but decided to let it go for now. He went down the stairs and plopped his massive body near the extinguished fireplace.

Steven still stayed in bed, just looking at his sweaty palms.

"…_I thought I got rid of all that gunk when I sucked it out of my gem" _he thought. He clenched his fists and tried to focus on getting that crazy dream out of his mind.

He sighed as he stretched out his jittery muscles. They were still a little sore from that whole ordeal, but it wasn't even nearly as bad as the first time he went through the recovery process.

"_I hope Connie's okay"_ he thought.

They had already decided, even before the Dark Stevonnie incident occurred, to take two days off every week so their bodies could recover from the intense training. Dr. Maheswaran **insisted** upon it. Of course if she felt like him, her mom could increase the recovery time by a couple days.

"_Another thought for another day"_ he thought. He was just glad that she was safe and that she was still his friend.

Speaking of…

"_I wonder where the gems are."_

Normally at least one of them would be there to greet him when he woke up before going off to take on those clusters. That's when the little king noticed a red-colored bubble floating above the kitchen counter.

"What the?" he questioned.

He gingerly got out of bed and walked down to the lower living area. When he approached the levitating sphere, he saw that it contained a white bag with The Big Donut logo on it. Underneath the bubbled bag was a three-way folded piece of paper with his name written on it in fancy, cursive text.

"…_Pearl"_ he thought as he unfolded the paper.

It read, "_Good morning Steven! We're sorry that we're not here with you when you wake up, but an urgent mission came up as well as dealing with those cluster experiments. We got you your favorite donuts __**(it was my idea)**__" _

That bit was written in a different style…very bold and hard-pressed.

"_Garnet"_ Steven thought as he continued reading, "_And Garnet put them in a special bubble to keep'em warm and fresh for you. We don't know how long we'll be gone, but we promise to bring you something back! Have a great day! We love you!" _

Underneath that line were Pearl's, Garnet's and Amethyst's names written in legible writing as well as a bunch of scrawled on lines, ink blots, and a few holes.

"…_What's this supposed to say?"_ he thought as he flipped the paper around to try and figure out the encrypted message. On a hunch, he decided to turn the paper over to see if it was one of those mirrored messages. Instead it was a P.S. at the bottom of the page.

It read, "_It's been…a while since Lapis and Jasper had to use a writing instrument. Peridot's never even used a pen before. And just because they're familiar with speaking our language, writing with Earth's alphabet, even the English version, is nothing they're accustomed too. But they really tried their best!" _

A smile appeared on Steven's face as he pictured the three new editions to the family trying to write their names just for him. Jasper getting frustrated, stabbing holes in the paper and needing to be calmed down by Garnet. Lapis trying to emulate Pearl's flowy style, but running out of ink and using some of her water powers to restart the pen but causing those blue blots. And Peridot most likely yelling at everyone and saying that she knew what she was doing and that she didn't need any help.

He chuckled as he thought, "_I wonder how many pieces of paper they went through?"_

He folded the lovely hand written note back up, hung it on the refrigerator with the "Welcome to Beach City" seagull magnet and climbed onto one of the counter seats. He popped the steamy bubble and released the delicious contents.

"Alright! Four chocolate long john bars with extra sprinkles on the side! And they didn't melt!" he cheered as he looked inside. "Hey Lion? Do you want one?"

Lion just shook his head without even opening his eyes.

"Okay, if you say so" he replied as he dipped the long, chocolate-covered donut into the cup of rainbow sprinkles.

Just as he was about to take a bite, that observant voice that never ceased to shut up said, _"You know…they only bought you those because they're afraid of you. Afraid of your power. Afraid of what you could become. They're trying to appease you so they won't feel your wrath." _

Steven groaned and set the suddenly unappetizing donut down.

"_I'm not saying you shouldn't enjoy it. After all, every leader deserves to be treated with reverence…with __**fear**__. Like a g-" _

"GAH! SHUT UP!" he yelled as he tugged at his curly hair.

Lion's ears perked up from the unexpected outburst. He cracked one eye open and he saw his master almost slam his head on the counter.

"_I don't understand! Just when I think it's gone, it keeps coming back! Jeez! I already talked it away and used the sword! Why won't it just leave me alone?! Is this…is this what a leader goes through? Is this what __**mom**__ had to go through?"_

He sighed and turned his head so he could rest on his left cheek. He stared at the questionable food item and his tummy started to rumble. Whether or not it was given out of love or fear, at that point it didn't matter because hunger overrides everything.

"…Aw forget it!" he yelled in exasperation and stuffed the long john into his mouth.

He wanted to enjoy the normally delectable treat, he **really** did, but those malicious words made the donut taste like a chunk of a tractor tire coated with chalk dust, sand and dried twigs. Needless to say…it didn't go down easy.

Steven almost threw the mush back up, but he willed himself not to let his throat become abused again by regurgitated stomach acids.

"Uhhhggggg…" he shuddered as he swallowed the last (at least in his mind) boulder-sized gulp. He licked his lips to get rid of the tar tasting chocolate off of'em and laid his head back on the table.

"…_That wasn't a good idea"_ he thought as he stuck his tongue out. At least his stomach was enjoying the meal. Then again…**it** didn't have ears to hear those voices.

"…Milk" he said after licking the dry, scratchy roof of his mouth.

He got up out of his seat and headed to the refrigerator. He grabbed the carton of Moo-Moo brand milk and shook it. There wasn't that much left, not worth pouring into a cup. He opened the carton and chugged the rest of the white nectar straight out of the container; thrilled that that voice didn't have anything snarky to say about him drinking it out of the cow-patterned container.

He wiped the white mustache off on his blue and white striped pajama sleeve and tossed the carton into the trash can - basketball style. Normally he would've cheered when it went in, but he just wasn't feeling like himself right now. He looked over at the donut bag again; he thought about giving it the same treatment as the empty carton but decided to re-bubble it.

He approached his furry confidant and asked, "Hey Lion? Can I put these inside your mane for later?"

A bright light emanated from Lion's mane and Steven took that as a yes. He carefully pushed the bubble inside. The last thing he wanted was for it to pop. He was pretty certain that Lion would never let him put stuff inside of him again if his mane got covered in chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

Once the snack was secure, he flopped back-down on the couch and just stared at the wooden beams of the ceiling.

"_I guess it's a good thing that the gems are gone" _he thought. He could really some alone time to just think. Out of the many things traversing through his mind, one word stood out.

**Leader.**

How can one word produce such a heavy burden to bear?

"…_Can I…Can I really continuing doing this?_" he thought as redirected his gaze upon the streams of golden light filtering in through his bedroom window.

On impulse, he lifted his shirt up and looked down upon the shimmering pink stone embedded in his navel. He poked at it for a bit, hoping that something magical or at the very least some advice on what to do would happen. But he got nothing. He sighed again and re-covered his belly. Then he redirected his gaze upon his furry buddy.

"…_Must be nice…just lounging around all day. Not a care in the world…"_

Steven had to do a double take when he thought that. That sounded really…mature. And **older.**

He checked his body just to make sure he wasn't rapidly aging again. But everything was still the same. The only thing that was grown up was his mind…just like Connie said. But still…he wanted things to go back to the way they were. Or at the very least…just be peaceful again. Like how Lion always was.

"…I wish I was a lion, **just for a day**. I bet it would be the best thing in the world" he spoke under his breath. He laid back down and covered his eyes with his arm, trying to meditate…clear his mind up a bit. And maybe even catch up on his rest. Soon he turned onto his side and shifted his arms to place them underneath his head to get in a more comfortable position. A while later, the increasing warmth within the domicile had its secondary effects upon the young child's body and the even breathing of his belly signaled that he was knocked out.

Unbeknownst to him, a faint glow started to shine through his gem, answering his earlier plea.

Seamlessly and inconspicuously his body started to change. His body as a whole started to condense. His skeletal anatomy began to morph into a feline form and his internal organs and muscles shifted to fit in and around the new frame. His fingers started to shrink and the top of his palms near his distal palmar crease had raised bumps. The same phenomenon occurred on the top part of the soles of his feet. His toes got a little bit longer as well as thicker.

Suddenly his whole body became covered in a soft covering of magenta fur. Soon his fingernails and toenails were replaced by retractable claws and soft paw pads painlessly emerged through the skin. His surprisingly well-kept molars (considering all the junk food he ate) morphed into sharp carnassial shears, whereas the incisors stayed the same but the canines drastically increased in size. His nose became rougher, wetter and a darker brown color as it shifted into the correct feline form, sporting three white whiskers on each side.

Soon that and his mouth became more elongated, resembling a muzzle. His ears got a bit larger and more rounded as the natural human creases disappeared. And to top it off, a little bud near the coccyx emerged and sprouted a full on tail with a little tuft of dark brown fur at the end of it.

**ACHOOO! **

That small sneeze caused by a stray hair from his little mane wrought the child out of his light slumber. Once his eyes focused, he was surprised to see that his environment was darkened.

"_What the? I don't remember grabbing a blanket." _Just as he was about to sit up and push what he thought was a blanket off of him, he heard a rip.

"_What the?!"_ With his enhanced night vision, he noticed that the rip came from little tears on the couch. And it looked like…jagged claw marks.

"…_CLAWS MARKS?! Oh no! That monster's trying to get me!"_ he internally yelled. His panicky mind caused him to flail about in the now oversized pajamas, eventually causing him to fall onto the floor with a thud.

Lion's ears perked up and he turned his head to see what the fuss was all about. When he saw the squirming mass of clothes, he got up and cautiously approached the moving pile. He couldn't determine what it was through sniffing since Steven's scent covered the intruder. In a bold move, he used his teeth to remove the striped fabric off of who or whatever the intruder was. He tossed it aside and needless to say his eyes got big when he saw what was on the ground.

It was a little…**him?!**

The fuzzy doppelganger shook his head, causing his mini, curly, chocolate brown mane to swish along as well.

"Roooar?" Lion questioned, finally getting the young cub's attention.

When he turned to face his gigantic pet, he realized that he was **really** gigantic now. "Lion?! Why are you so big?! Where's the monster?! What's going on!?" Steven exasperated as he put his paws on top of his head…which wasn't a good idea in his current state.

"OW!" he yelled as he slowly removed the claws that he'd inadvertently dug into his scalp. That's when he finally got a good look at his newly transformed state. At least some of the parts.

"Wh-wh-what!?" he stuttered as he examined his cherry-blossom colored paw pads and two-toned magenta fur.

"AH!" he yelped in surprise as he retracted his claws in and out. "…Mirror!" he yelled.

He tried performing any kind of motion with his new legs, but he slipped on the pajamas beneath him.

"Grrrr…" he growled as he tried to stand again. "O-okay. Now one foot forward…" he said to himself as he tried walking towards Lion. To Steven, it felt like he was making great strides towards his feline friend. But from Lion's point of view, he barely moved two centimeters.

Lion huffed through his nose and decided to speed things along. Steven noticed Lion's shadow looming over him and asked, "L-Lion? What're you…Wait, no! That's gonna-" But his pleas were quieted as he hung in Lion's surprisingly soft jaw.

"…_Huh. It doesn't hurt_" he observed as Lion carried him to the bathroom; luckily the door was cracked open. He used his paw to push it open and his tail to flick on the light switch. Now that the area was illuminated, Lion carefully placed his charge on top of the bathroom sink. He walked back towards the door so he wouldn't be in the way.

"…Whooooaaaa" Steven marveled as he put his paws and muzzle against the reflective metal.

He opened his mouth and got a good look at all of his sharp teeth. He ran his rough tongue over them to make sure they were real, fogging up the mirror in the process. Carefully turning to his side, he saw his new muscular yet slightly chubby lion body. His belly, the ends of his paws and the end of his muzzle were a lighter shade of pink similar to Lion's mane, and it contrasted beautifully against the rest of his dark magenta body.

There were little crimson-colored rosettes on the back of his legs. Even his fuzzy ears were light pink on the inside, but had a velvety chocolate brown ring around the edge. Soon a big, toothy grin crossed his muzzle and his swishing tail matched his giddy aura.

"I'm a lion? I'm a lion! WOO HO-AHH!" In his excitement he accidentally fell off the sink and landed on the red rug covering the tile floor.

"Oowww" he moaned as he stood up, but pain couldn't overtake his joy for long. "This is AWESOME! I shapeshifted into a lion! My gem did what I said! Isn't this great?! Now I'm your little cub!" he exclaimed as stars appeared in his ebony eyes.

Lion had to catch him again with his paw before he fell on his face; he **did not** want him to experience how sensitive his new nose was. But Steven just chuckled as he rubbed against his warm leg.

A small smile formed on his lips; his cheerful attitude was certainly infectious. Then it turned into a smug one when he thought, "_Heh…__**lion cub**__._ _Take that Jasper."_ Oh how he wished she was here right now. Just the look on her face would've been priceless!

He was wrought out of his superior thoughts when Steven begged, "C'mon Lion! Let's do something fun!"

He got out of his grasp and tried to run out the door, but failed miserably. "This…is harder…than it looks" Steven commented as he shakily stood up on all fours again.

Lion shook his head again at his clumsy cub. Suddenly, the perfect idea entered his mind; it would provide perfect training for his new abilities and, at least in Steven's sight, be fun. This time he grabbed Steven by the scruff of his neck and set him back down in the living room.

Just as he was about to ask Lion what he was up to, he noticed that his eyes were glowing pink, meaning he was about to use his warp roar. A huge grin came across his furry features. "_ADVENTURE!" _he thought as little suns appeared in eyes.

And true to his observation, Lion created a warp portal near the temple door. He kneeled down and Steven wasted no time jumping onto his mane. But he accidentally went inside and he had to pop his head out so he could breathe.

"**GASP** Alright Lion! Let's GO!"

With that order, he leapt through the pink portal - traveling along the diamond-dusted highway to whatever destination he had in mind.

* * *

**What kind of adventure awaits Lion and his newly transformed cub? Find out in part two of "One on One", which should be up by tomorrow or Friday(I had to split this excursion in half). **

**And, at least for me, if something is upsetting me or there's a lot on my mind...food just doesn't taste good.  
**

**I've never done a transformation scene before so I hope you can picture Steven's new body. And I'm also studying to be a physical trainer so using all those muscle/skeletal terms is kinda second nature to me at this point.**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**


	32. Chapter 32

**This chapter is dedicated in loving memory of my beloved cats, Belle(1991-2006) and Lucky(2007-2014).**

* * *

In a flash of bright pink light, the duo exited the warp stream into their new environment. Steven giggled as he hopped out of Lion's mane onto the plush green terrain.

"…**Amazing**!" he marveled with starry eyes when as he took in the stunning surroundings.

They were on top of a rather high grassy plateau that gave them an incredible view that anyone would pay a fortune to have as their own personal viewing platform.

The shimmering morning sun reflected off of the terra-cotta colored soil that was dotted with blades of succulent grass, making it shine like a sea of emeralds. And in the distance, the entire valley was surrounded by indigo-colored mountains. Some of the peaks were cloud-capped, almost as if they were marshmallows on the ends of really wide sticks.

The lush landscape was fueled by the seemingly never-ending, meandering, crystal-clear river flowing from a far off source. A variety of trees ranging from baobab trees to acacia trees were spread across the area, providing much needed shade and delicious fruit for the rest of the animals that lived in the secluded paradise. And speaking of, a red monarch butterfly with ice-colored spots leisurely fluttered over and around the head of the excited youngling; gently landing on his nose for a brief moment before taking off again.

Steven's smile only grew wider as he kept scanning the area over and over again, trying to take it all in. "This place is so cool! Is this your home Lion?" he asked and his protector shook his head "no."

"No? Then what is this place?" Lion answered by laying on the ground and yawning.

"…Oh, I get it. You come here to unwind. But I don't understand. You're so chill all the time, why do you need to unwind?" he asked.

Lion stared at him for a few seconds before huffing through his nose and closing eyes.

"…_I wish I could be able to talk to him again, like in mom's room" _he said under his breath. While his mind was preoccupied, a faint glow began to emanate from his gem. Suddenly, he scratched the inside of his ear when it felt like someone was sticking a feather inside his canal. _"…Probably just the wind"_ he thought when he didn't get anything out.

"Well, forget about that! Let's go explore!" he cheerfully said as he tried to make his way towards the edge of the cliff, but his feet kept getting tangled up and he fell down again. "Why is this so hard?!" he yelled in frustration as he shakily stood up. So far this whole "lion thing" wasn't going as well as he had hoped.

"It's not hard, just different. Although it would help if you didn't move your front legs at the same time" a familiar voice spoke.

Steven quickly turned around and saw that Lion had his head up and was looking at him. Then he dug in his ticklish ear again. Still nothing.

"L-Lion…are we…can you…say something again."

Lion blinked twice, but heeded his master's command. "Something again" he roared, although it sounded like perfect English in Steven's ears.

"I… can understand you? I can understand you! Sweet! But how?" That's when he remembered what he just said. "My gem gave me the ability to hear you because I wanted to!" he realized.

"Well, your powers do stem from your state of mind" Lion spoke.

"_Emotional clarity"_ he breathed out. Then he closed his eyes and sat on his haunches.

After a minute or so Lion asked, "…Steven? What're you doing?"

"I'm concentrating! I'm trying to get my gem to make walk on four legs" he explained as he opened his eyes. Then he quickly stood back up and tried to walk again, but he still tripped up.

"Aw c'mon!" he exasperated as he brushed the stray grass blades off of his belly, being mindful not to accidentally hurt himself again with his claws.

Lion chuckled and said, "Walking isn't a power, it's a natural ability that you have practice at. It's no different than you walking on two legs, which in my eyes seems extremely difficult, so kudos to you."

Steven smiled from the compliment, then asked, "L-Lion? Can you teach me how to walk?"

"Of course. And don't be embarrassed either. Like I said, you're learning something new. It's no different than you training with Jasper or Pearl "he explained as he got up. Fortunately he was looking at the ground when said their names, so Steven didn't see the slight scowl cross his features. But he quickly dismissed those burning ire thoughts.

"Alright. To walk you have to move your back and front legs at the same time. Left front with left back then switch to right front with right back. Like this."

Lion demonstrated the proper technique by walking back and forth across the plateau. "Now you try" he said and Steven nodded.

He stood up and tried to mimic what Lion did. It was a little shaky at first, but at least he was moving across the turf.

"H-Hey! I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" he said. Soon he got to edge of the plateau and he seamlessly turned around and started walking back towards Lion. "It's just like crawling! Only on your feet!" he explained out loud. Lion smiled at his quick progress. Soon Steven came to a stop right in front of his furry mentor.

"I did it! I really did it!" he exclaimed while wagging his tail.

"Good job, **my little cub.** Heh…now I get to say it" he quietly added as he rubbed Steven's tuft of a mane with his paw. "Now do it a few more times" he commanded and Steven followed the order. With each walk cycle his speed and balance improved. He even started to walk with his eyes closed, proudly holding his head up while he marched along.

A smug grin appeared on Lion's lips as he said, "Alright hotshot, that's good. Time to show you how to run. Now you have to move you front and back feet at the same time, like this."

Lion started to walk then gradually increased his speed until he looked like he was gliding across the plateau, kicking up little dust clouds in his wake. "Do…you understand?" he asked a little out of breath.

"Y-yea, I think so. Let me try" Steven said as he stood up. He mimicked Lion's increase in velocity and soon enough he was striding across the plain, albeit a little unorthodox. He looked like he was hopping along and he still looked really…tight.

"Lengthen your stride! All of your feet are supposed to be off the ground at one point! "Lion advised.

Steven did as he was told and found that he actually moved a lot easier. And more importantly, faster!

"_YEA!"_ he thought as he ran across the savanna; he couldn't say it because he was breathing so hard. But it wasn't strenuous on his new body since it's built for it - he felt like he could go on for miles. And having an unlimited energy reserve provided by his gem, he could've very well done so.

"Alright! Let's take a break "Lion said and Steven slowed down to a brisk walk.

"Did…didja see me!? I was flying!" Steven breathed out as he approached him.

"Of course I did. Well done, I'm proud of you!" Lion cheered. Steven was beaming and he rubbed his small body in between Lion's front legs.

"Thanks for teaching me" he said looking up at him.

"Heh…you're welcome. Couldn't have you stumbling about on our little adventure now could I?" he said.

Steven gasped and asked with little suns in his eyes, "Where are we going?"

"Well…for starters let's get some water. I don't know about you but I'm a little thirsty from all that running. Even watching you made me tired."

"Yea, me too" Steven agreed and his gigantic companion stood up and said, "Follow me."

With that the duo climbed down the natural rock steps on the side of the plateau and entered the emerald valley.

* * *

"Whooooaaa…" Steven gaped when he saw the pristine area up close. There were even little bunches of clear crystals jutting out of the ground and the way the sun's rays hit them created a little rainbow over them.

"Look at all the animals!" he said when saw some purple impala-like creatures with twisted horns leaping in front of them. A couple a passing shadows overhead caused Steven to look up into the sky. If it wasn't for a couple of falling feathers, he wouldn't have been able to make out the turquoise-colored gem lizards flying above him.

"Now I know where you got your lunch that time when we went to the movies" he commented as he watched one of the lizards land on a flat rock to sunbathe. "I wonder if all these animals are different gems."

"Some of them are. And no, they're not corrupted "Lion clarified.

"What? Really? I guess that makes sense. If home world can make gem gems, then they can make animal gems too, if they wanted" Steven surmised.

"…They didn't. Well…not intentionally. "Lion said.

"What?" Steven asked.

"In a sense…these animals shouldn't even be alive. **I shouldn't even be here.**"

"What do you mean? Mom made you so you could be with me. Unless…you didn't want to be"

"No no, that's not what I meant!" he quickly said, refuting Steven's negative assumption. "**sigh** Remember when Rose told you that I was made in her room?"

Steven nodded his head and he continued, "Well…that's kinda true. In order for me to exist…for all these animals to exist…there has to be an organic component."

Steven was still thoroughly confused and he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Your mother said she used her essence to create me. And that's just what she did. **She took a piece of her gem and fused it into me when I just a cub.**"

"What?! But how!?"

"It was a long time before you were born…maybe seven years…I'm not sure. I don't remember much of my old life, but I do remember that I was abandoned and very weak. Your mother found me after one of her missions and tried to heal me with her healing tears, but it didn't work. Her powers don't work on organic life the way yours do."

"What? But what about her…err…**my** plant powers? Plants are organic…right? Being organic means you're alive right?" Steven asked.

"It's a little more complicated than that. So for now, well go with that. Her healing tears to a plant are kinda like…**a super fertilizer**. Rocks are minerals so she could patch up other gems no problems, and it just so happens that plant seeds need an abundance of minerals to grow. How she could control them I don't know, I kinda zoned out while she was explaining some of this stuff. And…now that I think about it, I don't really understand why her healing powers didn't work on me since animals need minerals in our body too." Lion realized.

"Eh, magic is complicated. You can ask her **if **you see her again. I'm still in charge of your safety, although I know some things can't be avoided."

"Cool, so my powers are a mega-evolved version of hers?" Steven asked.

Lion blinked at him a couple times. "_Mega-evolved?"_ he thought. "If you mean enhanced, then yes. Anyway, she was determined to save me. I, on the other paw, was just grateful to be in a comforting presence before I passed on…that's how weak I was. So she brought me into her room, chipped off a piece of her own gem, ground it up and mixed it with her healing tears. Like I said before I knew I didn't have much time left, so I wanted to enjoy my last moments and have a decent meal. So without any hesitation, I drank the refreshingly sweet mixture. Y'know…now that I think about it, it kinda tasted like melted Lion Lickers."

"Anyway, then she commanded the room to do something, but I didn't hear what she said because I fell asleep as soon as I drank it. Not long after that, I woke up feeling just fine! But needless to say I was a little surprised when I could see more colors and that my fur was flamingo pink instead of sandy brown" he finished.

Steven stopped in his tracks and stared at him slack-jawed.

"…What?" Lion asked as he stopped as well.

**"You're a hybrid?! Just like me?!**" he asked.

"In a way…yes. Except unlike you, I don't have a gem in a single location. My gem, per say, is infused into every fiber of my body" he answered as he resumed walking.

"But…why didn't mom tell me any of this?" he asked as he caught up to Lion.

"Because **I **wanted to tell you. I figured you'd be curious as to how I came to be and Rose told me that we'd be able to communicate with each other one day. So I wanted you to get the answer straight from the lion's mouth" he said. Steven chuckled at the unintentional pun.

"So…my mom is your mom too?" he asked.

"Naturally speaking, no. But she did care for me like a mother would…so in that sense…yes." Lion answered.

"So you're like my brother! My big, hairy, older brother! Awesome!" Steven exclaimed with starry eyes. Lion smiled at that statement and they continued walking across the fertile plain.

"But what about the rest of these animals? Did mom put pieces of her gem in them too?" Steven asked when he spotted a herd of large, copper-colored oryxes munching away on grass. He stopped to admire their unique beauty. They had long, black horns and wide, black-striped markings along their eyes and top half of their legs. Some of them even had a yellow gemstone embedded in their foreheads.

"No. Even though she could fix herself up, if losing a piece of your gem is anything like breaking a claw…I'm sure it has to hurt. **A lot**."

"Oh…right" he agreed as he continued to follow Lion.

"From what your mom told me, they were created by accident. Remember those machines in the kindergarten?"

"Yea?"

"Well, I don't understand exactly how they work, but I know that they plant gems into the ground. Some of those gems accidentally fused with the organic remains of different animals and they emerged as animals."

"So they're like zombies?!" Steven shuddered.

"No. They're alive and well, just like me. Probably a lot stronger than what they were before. And they're even able to have babies, just like any regular earth animal." Lion clarified.

"Wow…I wonder if that's why we have cryptids. Anyway, it's still awesome! Is this where they all live?" he asked.

"No, they're spread all over the place. They just blend in with their respective animal. Although it's kinda hard for me to blend in because of my color."

"Well I think you're pretty rad!" Steven complimented and Lion smiled at that.

"Still…this is all really weird. I'm just glad that I'm not the only hybrid around…and that I'm not alone anymore…" Steven reflected.

"Steven…"

"I know. I have you, mom, dad, Connie and the gems. I know Peridot is a cyborg, but she's still a gem gem. So…it's cool to know that I have **someone** who I can relate to, y'know?"

"…**Sisi ni Sawa"** Lion replied. Steven smiled at that and repeated, **"We are the same."**

* * *

Soon the duo reached a verdant oasis partly shaded by palm trees, filled with clean spring water. They crouched down near the water's edge and began lapping at the cooling neutral element, quenching their thirst.

"Wow…this is best water I've ever tasted!" Steven said as he licked his wet lips.

"It's a mineral spring. The oasis is filled with underground water and as such it pushes the nutrients up to the surface" Lion explained.

"Cooool" Steven said as he stared at his reflection.

"The rest of the animals think so too" Lion commented.

"Huh?" he asked, until he noticed the trio of blue-striped zebra with blue stone hooves approach the spring to get a quick drink, a little perturbed by the apex predator in their midst.

"C'mon, let's go. We're scaring them" Lion observed and they silently walked away.

"So…I have a question. How is it that the rest of the gems didn't know about you?" he asked.

"It wasn't easy. Rose was a bit…overprotective of me. She was afraid that one of them could hurt me. Garnet was still in "beat every gem until they poof" mode. Amethyst was **way** too wild and rambunctious to be a playmate, and Pearl was…well…how can I say it? She doesn't understand organic life and is a bit curious so…"

"Did mom think that Pearl would…**experiment **on you?" Steven asked with wide, horrified eyes.

"No. It was more so out of the fact that she believed that Pearl wouldn't leave me alone. Cuddling me, petting me, poking me and whatever else she could possibly think of. Well, I was pretty cute so I could understand it. Still, your mom was afraid that I'd end up doing something to Pearl out of annoyance and in turn I'd get hurt in retaliation."

"…Yea, that sounds like something Pearl would do" Steven agreed when he recalled how he caught her watching him sleep. "And…I guess I did the same thing too, huh?" he sheepishly asked when he also recalled how they first met in the desert.

"Just promise not to stick your hands in my mouth or in my eyes anymore. I don't mind the petting…too much" Lion firmly asserted.

"I promise. So did you live in mom's room?"

"No way! Way too many dangerous things in the temple for a curious cub like me to get into. She had no clue what to do. She only dealt with plants, not animals. So she asked Greg for help and I stayed with him for a bit."

"…OH! That's why he had a cat carrier!" Steven realized.

Lion growled and said, "Don't remind me. I **hated** being in that tiny box during the night. So needless to say that didn't last very long. Especially when he found out that I was a lion cub and not some kind of weird-colored kitten. That's when he told her that I need wide open spaces and meat in order to be happy. So she created a special grove area just for me and she brought me food that Greg bought until I was big enough to start taking care of myself."

"I'm kinda surprised dad didn't remember you when he saw you. I mean, at least I think it's kinda hard to forget a pink cat" Steven observed.

"…He probably blocked me out of his memories. Especially after the **claw incident**." Lion commented.

"The what? What happened?"

"Let's just say there's a reason why he wears cut off pants, and I'm gonna leave it at that" Lion spoke and that was the end of that discussion.

"Speaking of claws…mine are starting to hurt a bit. But my feet feel fine. Did I not shapeshift right?" Steven asked as he stopped to examine his paws.

Lion came over and started sniffing his little brother. "H-Hey! Cut it out! That tickles!" Steven chuckled.

After his examination he said, "Everything looks good to me, but I think I know what's wrong."

With that Lion picked up the tiny cub in his mouth and ran over to a grove of ash-white trees with a mini pond surrounded on one side with boulders of varying sizes. The sunlight spilling in through the shaded canopy gave the area an almost mystical quality to it.

"Awesooome" Steven excitedly breathed out as he was set down. "But…it smells…different" he observed as he raised his muzzle to the air. "It kinda smells like…you" he concluded.

"Mh hm. This is my territory" he explained.

"Your territory?"

"Yep, look at the trees."

Steven went over to one of the trees and saw that it had deep claw marks on them.

"These trees are perfect for scratching" Lion explained.

"Did you do this to every tree?" Steven asked and Lion nodded.

"Why?"

"Well…if kept clawing at the same tree continuously there wouldn't be any tree left" he explained.

"No, not that. I mean why do you need to claw on trees? Aren't they already sharp enough?" he asked when he remembered when Lion dug his nails into his back.

"That's a common misconception. Here. Try it and you'll see why" Lion said as he approached a tree, stood up on his hind legs, unsheathed his nails and started scratching away.

Steven mimicked the same action and starting clawing away as well. "W-Wow!" he said as he felt instant relief in his nails, not to mention getting a good stretch along his back.

"Feel better?" Lion asked when he finished.

"Yea! My claws even look shinier!" he noticed.

"Scratching gets rid of the dead skin on our nails, kinda like when you take a bath to get rid of the of dirt and dead skin on your body. It also leaves our scent behind to let other animals know that this is our spot. Kinda like how your house smells like you" he explained.

"Well, thanks for letting me in!" Steven said.

"Thank **you** for letting me into your house, and even setting up that cushy bed for me at night" Lion replied. Steven smiled at him before getting a few more long swipes in.

"And it's great for stretching too!" Steven added when he was done.

"Yes…it's a great stress reliever" Lion agreed.

"You get stressed? About what?" he asked.

Lion cursed at his little slip up. And of course Steven just had to stare at him with his big, prodding eyes. Before he was forced to answer, a low rumbled passed through the area. His ears immediately perked up and he started looking around to find the source of the sound.

"Oh…sorry Lion. That's my tummy." Steven sheepishly said.

"Don't be sorry. When you're hungry you're hungry" he replied, secretly thankful for the distraction.

"Good thing I packed those donuts" Steven said as he approached him, but Lion kept him at bay with his massive paw.

"MMPH! Lion, what're you doing?"

"Nuh uh. You're a lion now remember? You gotta hunt for your food" he explained.

"What?! But I don't know how to hunt! And I don't know if my body can handle raw stuff! What if I get food poisoning?" he asked.

"You won't get food poisoning. In fact, fresh meat will be better for your new body than that junk food" Lion asserted. "And I'll teach you how to hunt. But…I guess it'd be hard to concentrate on an empty stomach. Nothing worse than a hangry cub."

"Hangry?" Steven asked quirking one eyebrow up.

"Hungry. Angry. **Hangry**. Greg called me that a couple of times. I'm pretty sure the claw incident happened during one of those times." Lion explained.

"Oh."

"So for my sake (and safety), let me get you a snack. Then I'll show you how to really hunt."

"A snack from where?"

"Right here. Look."

Steven approached the water's edge and saw a plethora of different fishes. "Whooaaa…look at all the fish!"

"Yep. Just give me one second…" With that Lion's pupils became smaller as he focused on his objective. He raised his freshly sharpened claws into the air and waited for the right moment.

"RARRRR!" he roared as he slammed his paw into the water, getting part of his mane soaked in the process. But a little water couldn't wipe the smug grin off of his face when he held up two impaled silver catfish.

"Amazing! I wanna try!"

"You can try later. That little splash scattered the fish and they won't be back near the edge for a while" Lion explained as he got the lifeless lunch off his paw and set it on the ground.

Steven just stared at the glassy eyed catfish with four puncture holes in its belly.

"Well? What're you waiting for?"

"…They keep looking at me" he shuddered.

Lion huffed through his nose and in one fell swoop he bit the heads off both fish. "They're **mph** not looking at you **chew** now" he figured while he was chewing. Then he spit the skull bones somewhere deep into the grove.

Steven now looked at the headless, bloody carcasses. He now kinda wished they still had their heads on them…this was just beyond gross.

"C'mon, it tastes great! You gotta eat if you're gonna be a big, strong lion like me" Lion persuaded.

The little cub gulped as he prepped his mind for whatever disgusting sensation could possibly coat his taste buds. And his growling stomach wasn't helping. It was as if his rumblings were saying "_Anytime now!" _

Steven leaned his head down and slowly opened his jaw. His large canines tore into the slimy flesh and although he wanted just a tiny piece, as some sort of cruel joke he got a big ol' mouth full. "Hmmmmmm…." he shuddered as the moist piece of meat sat inside his cheek.

"Swallow it. And don't think about it. Let your instincts take over" Lion commanded.

"_Easy for you to say"_ Steven thought as he slowly but surely swallowed the tennis ball-sized lump down his throat. Thankfully it didn't come back up.

"So…whatcha think?" Lion asked as he watched him lick the roof of his mouth.

"…Slimy…yet satisfying" he said, surprising himself. With newfound confidence, he dove back in. In a matter of seconds, the only thing remaining was a pair of picked clean skeletons. "**BURP** Excuse me" he corrected as he licked his lips.

"See? What did I tell you?" Lion said.

"Yea, you were right! These tasted really good as they were! So what's next?"

"Well…I could go for a bush buck myself. C'mon and let an old pro show you how it's done" Lion boasted.

"Alright!" his cub cheered as he took the lead.

As they walked through the shadowed grove, a strange scent suddenly entered Lion's nostrils.

"_What the?"_ he thought as he sniffed the air. Soon he found the source of the peculiar odor as well as the massive claw marks left behind on a couple of severed trees. He growled at the sight. Slightly annoyed by the fact that someone entered his private domain, but mainly because he'd never smelled anything like this before.

"Hey Lion? What's wrong?" Steven asked when he noticed that he wasn't right behind him.

"…It's nothing" he replied as he took one last look before catching up to his charge.

"…W_hat in the world could've done that?_ _I wonder if this has anything to with why they're so many fish in the pond. The crocs know to come and eat them so it won't get too full in there. And they're supposed to keep an eye on things when I'm not here. I wonder where they are. Now that I think about it…where are the other cheetahs and servals?" _he thought as they continued their trek; his eyes now solely focused on the upbeat pink ball of fluff in front of him.

As far as he was concerned, **nothing** was going to hurt him ever again. **Especially** after that night.

* * *

A sudden zephyr blew through the protector's cotton candy mane, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Steven" he called out and said cub came running to his side.

"What's up Lion?"

"Time for your hunting lesson. Follow me."

"Okay!" he said as they traveled in a different direction.

"The bush buck grazing grounds are just up ahead."

"Then…why aren't we walking the way we were before?" Steven asked.

"The wind" he answered.

"The wind?"

"Yes. There was a sudden wind gust from the east. If we had continued along that path, the wind would've carried our scent towards the herd and alerted them of our presence. We need to be down wind so we can sneak up on them" he explained.

"But you can warp. Do you still need to worry about things like that?" Steven asked.

"If I'm warping, then no. But **you** can't warp, so I need to teach you the basics."

"Oh…right."

"Besides, hunting like this every once in a while keeps me on point. Not to mention, you **never** know what skills you're going to need" he finished.

Steven nodded his head in agreement as they continued to circle the herd. Suddenly their ears perked up when they heard some grunting and chewing ahead.

"Alright, Steven. We need to be absolutely silent. Keep you breathing low and under control" Lion quietly commanded.

"Right. Ninja-style" Steven whispered back.

"…_Whatever works"_ Lion thought then said, "Now, stay low to the ground. Feel the earth underneath your paws so it doesn't shift when you move."

He extenuated that point by unsheathing his claws and raking his nails over the dirt. Steven copied the same motion and continued following Lion.

Not a moment later, the bush buck herd came into view. "Woooow" Steven marveled when he saw the numerous beautiful creatures.

All of them had grey-colored horns that bent a little like a bendy straw. The majority were a caramel brown color with a black face mask that went from their eyes to their snout, white stripes along their backs as well as a charcoal black ridge of hair. But there was a few that were pumpkin orange with crystal encrusted horns.

Seeing animals on the TV was one thing, but seeing them up close like this was a completely riveting experience. Steven had to take a deep breath to steady his rapidly beating heart.

But Lion was a little perturbed by the fact that there weren't as many as before. Last time he was here, there were at least forty in this herd. Now it looked half of them were gone.

"…_Maybe they split into another group_" he thought as they continued watching them.

They were completely peaceful just munching away on grass, but one of them lifted its head up and swiveled its ears around. The hunters took that as their cue to sink lower into the tall grass. Once the bush buck was at ease, it lowered its head and continued grazing with the rest of the herd.

"Stay here…" Lion whispered as he shifted his front legs, moving his shoulder blades up and down.

Before Steven could even ask what he was doing, in the blink of an eye Lion leapt out their camouflaged hiding spot, lunging towards the unsuspecting herd. Steven stood on his hind legs and poked his head above the grass line so he could get a better view. His eyes were wide in awe of the display of ferocious power Lion possessed.

His usually laid back confidant was running at speeds he'd never seen him run before…kicking up dislodged grass blades in his wake. He managed to separate one of the pumpkin colored ones away from the group and with one super-spring jump, he managed to sink his front claws into the back of the bush buck. The gem-infused animal tried to thrash and kick Lion off, but the seasoned hunter used his massive weight to pin it down and grabbed the animal in a spine-crushing jaw bite.

Steven cringed a little when he heard the sickening crack reverberate across the plain. He shook his head, trying to banish any thoughts of how wrong this seemed. This wasn't any different than how he ate the fish that Sadie speared back on Mask Island. And lions gotta eat too.

Speaking of said hunter, Lion dragged the almost decapitated bush buck over to where he still sitting…his mouth hanging open in awe and shock. He couldn't even say anything as Lion dropped the large animal in front of him.

"C'mon, let's go eat underneath that tree" he suggested as he picked up the bush buck in his jaw again, snapping the little cub out of his stunned state.

"R-right" he answered as he followed him.

He noticed that he was having a little trouble dragging the body, no doubt exhausted from that insane burst of energy.

"…_He did this for me"_ he realized. Without a second thought, he went under the rump of the dead animal and placed it on his back to help with the load.

"_HMPH! Now I know where the term dead weight comes from"_ he thought as they finally reached the cooling shade of an acacia tree. Lion let the limp lunch fall out of his mouth and Steven moved the rest of it off of his back.

"Thanks" Lion said as he sat down.

"No prob Bob" Steven replied, pleased that he could help out.

"Well, it's customary that cubs get to eat first, so go on ahead. I'd start with the belly myself" he added.

Steven nodded at his suggestion, but still warily eyed the meal in front of him. "Mmmmm…" he muttered as he tried to steel his jittery nerves.

Lion picked up on this and said, "Steven? Are you…upset that I did this?"

"What?! No! I mean what you did was amazing! I've never seen you move like that! All zig-zagging through the grass. And you're so strong! You took it down in one bite! It's not you…**it's me**. I don't know why this is bothering me so much. It's the same thing like what you and Sadie did to those fish. Or when Nanafau makes her fish stew pizza. I know the gems poof those corrupted gems so they don't hurt anyone and we have to kill other animals so we can live but…I don't know. I'm not making any sense. I'm sorry" he lamented.

Lion managed to decipher his little cub's rambling and thought, _"…Yep, just like his mother."_ "Steven. You were told that your mother believed all life was precious and worth protecting, right?" he asked.

Steven nodded his head and Lion continued, "That includes protecting the **balance of life**. This bush buck's life energy sustains ours and I'm thankful for that. Just as I'm sure it was grateful to the grass for giving it the energy it needed to live as well."

"…That's why we say thanks before we eat!" Steven realized.

"Mm hm. Sacrifice isn't bad, but it is necessary. Just like how our bodies will return to the dirt, providing the energy for the next generation of plants, and their energy will be transferred back to those that eat them" he finished

"I guess that's the circle of life for you" Steven quoted.

"Yep. And when it's thrown off balance, that's when problems occurs. Killing for the sake of it is **wrong**. It should only be done to eat or to protect. Thankfully humans have seen the errors of their ways and have begun rectifying their mistakes. Your mother wished that the rest of her kind would've learned that same lesson."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"**Balance relies on give and take.** When those gems started making more of their kind in the ground, they took all the energy but didn't give any back. If that had continued, the Earth would've looked just like that kindergarten…or even worse." Lion finished.

"…Whoa. I never thought of it that way before" Steven commented.

"But all that aside, I won't force you to do this if you're not up to it. And I'm sorry if I was pushy with the fish."

"Don't be sorry! You knew what was right for me and it was good! So I know this'll be good. Just gotta…psyche myself up for it" he explained as he gulped.

He approached the bush buck's hind leg and put his front legs on the solid mass, ready to take a bite. Lion quizzically looked at him.

"I'm picturing a fried chicken leg" he explained before he had a chance to ask. Lion just shrugged at his explanation. "_Whatever works." _

With that, Steven sunk his fangs through the fur and tore a piece of the skin off. "P-TOO! Aaaaaahaaaa…" he spit as he wiped the bush buck's fur off of his tongue.

Now that he had an opening, he closed his eyes and said, "Thank you for the food." After reopening them, he dove into the red, muscular flesh and took a large bite. "Hmmmm…mmmmm!"

With the slight change in vocal approval, Lion knew that he was going to be alright. And Steven's voracious appetite matched his assumption as he watched him tear through half of the bush buck's thigh.

"MM hm!" he happily hummed as he licked his bloody lips.

"I take it you liked it?" Lion asked.

"Yea! That's some good meat right there! It tasted like a burger but a billion times better!" he explained as he patted his pudgy belly.

"Glad you liked it" Lion said as he got up so he could get a bite to eat. "You may want to move. I'm a messy eater."

Steven heeded his advice and backed up. Lion wasted no time and tore through the belly of the beast, enjoying all the tasty innards and getting some much needed calcium through the bones. Steven covered his eyes; he **did not** want to lose his lunch by seeing all the guts spill out onto the grass.

**BURRRRRRRP**

With that hearty blech, Steven opened his eyes and surprisingly wasn't perturbed by what he saw. It looked like Lion's muzzle and lower half of his mane were painted red. He had **finally** gotten used to it. Or at the very least gotten **numb** to it. Now that he thought about it…he threw up that toxic blood mixture multiple times (too many for his liking), so he better get used to it.

"Now that hit the spot!" Lion proclaimed as he moved out of the way, finally allowing Steven to see the empty cavity. "You sure you don't want anymore?"

"I'm sure. I'm stuffed" he replied.

"In that case, let's get something to drink and get you cleaned off. Besides…I don't know how much longer these guys can wait."

"What guys?" Steven asked. Lion lifted his head up and he followed suit.

That's when he saw at least a half dozen vultures in the tree. They had orange feathers on their bellies and around their head – almost resembling a beard. They had salt/pepper colored wings as well as yellow eyes surrounded by a red ring. Some of'em even had an umber-colored gem embedded in their chest.

"When did they get here?!" Steven asked.

"They've been following us for a while now. Whenever I come here, they know they're going to get a meal. So I eat, they eat and they keep the place looking clean" he explained.

"Oh…I guess I need to pay better attention to my surroundings huh?"

"You'll get there." Lion assured. "Go ahead guys!" he shouted as he picked up Steven and they left the leftovers for the gigantic birds.

"Wow, they sure are hungry" Steven commented.

Lion hummed at that and thought, _"He's right. These guys look like they haven't had a decent meal in a long while. Something's not right here…"_

He pushed that thought aside for now; the only thing on mind was giving Steven a good, relaxing time.

Soon they came across another mineral spring not too far from the hunting ground. It was surrounded by flat rocks, mini date palm trees and filled with little papyrus plants along the banks.

It wasn't as deep as the other one, which Steven happily took advantage of. He splashed around in the somewhat shallow pool, even trying to pounce on dragon flies that happened to land on the budding reeds. Lion supervised the rambunctious cub from atop of one of the flat rocks as he cleaned himself off.

After a few minutes of blissful water fun, Steven got out of the pool and shook his body to rid himself of the excess water; but he was still pretty damp. "Hey Lion? Can you do that wind roar again to dry me off?" he asked as he slicked his wet mane back and out of his eyes.

"Hmm…I have something better in mind. Come here" he said.

Steven climbed onto the rock and sat in front of him. Lion pulled him closer to his muzzle and started to lick him dry. The soothing action with his warm tongue felt like a therapeutic massage; Steven couldn't help but lie down and close his eyes.

Soon, a low rumble subconsciously traversed throughout his entire body. Lion had to press his ear against his body to make sure he heard what he heard. After getting the confirmation, he couldn't help but smile on the inside. **His little cub was purring**, an action that not even he, nor any other member of his native species, could do.

"…_He really is one of a kind"_ he thought.

Eventually his purring subsided and was replaced by even breathing as evidenced by his inflating and deflating belly. Well…good food, warm sun and a nice massage will put anyone to sleep. He carefully turned him over so he could clean his tummy and his feet. Steven smiled and giggled a little when his tongue touched his tiny toes. With a few more licks, he was as clean as a whistle.

Now that the task was done, Lion let out a long yawn. He was starting to feel the calming side-effects of the tranquil setting as well. He gently turned his cub again so that he was laying on top of his forearm.

At this point he was like a rag doll – just snoozin' away without a care in the world. **Just like he wanted**.

Once he was comfortable, Lion laid his head down on top of him, his droopy eyelids finally closing for a much needed nap.

* * *

**SQUAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW**

That shrill call interrupted the confidant's short siesta. Lion immediately sat up on his haunches and turned his head towards the direction of the sound.

Steven was inadvertently rolled onto the rock and woken up due to the action. "Huh…wha…?" he garbled.

That's when looked up and noticed Lion's pupils were slit shaped and that he was growling. "L-Lion? What's wrong?" he worriedly asked as his ears instinctively went down.

All of sudden the kettle of vultures from earlier flew overhead, some of them were struggling to stay airborne because they were missing their contour feathers…almost as if they had been bitten off.

"What the?! What happened to them?!" Steven asked as he watched them go by. Some of the umber-colored feathers fell on still water, causing ripples to appear.

"**Steven."**

The frightened little cub looked up at his enraged protector.

"**Stay here."**

Before Steven even had a chance to counter his command, Lion took off in the direction of their previous eating spot at breakneck speed.

"LION WAIT!" Steven called out, but he was long gone – the kicked up grass blades were the only evidence of his presence left behind "I can't just sit here!" he said and ran after him as quick as he could on his short legs.

It didn't take long for the acacia tree to come into view; the way he was running Lion could've circled the entire plain ten times over. He slowed his pace down to a stalking stride; his pink body was obscured by the tall grass. That's when that foreign smell from the grove entered his nose. He cautiously peeked his head above the grass line to see the grotesque invader devour the remains meant for his frightened vulture allies.

The canine-like creature had dark-green/shadow colored fur with little randomly dispersed lime green stripes. It matched the gemstones that created a large ridge along its mountain-shaped hunched back, ending with a stubby excuse for a tail. Its front legs were taller than the back ones, but they were still equally muscular with three long, obsidian-colored claws on each paw.

It was a half-foot bigger than Lion, but its girth didn't concern the observing predator; he'd taken down enemies three times his size before. The only thing that really concerned him was its expandable, anaconda-like jaw. If its razor-sharp teeth gripped any part of his body in that bear-trap of a mouth, it would dish out some serious damage and potentially be fatal. The bottom half of its jaw nearly tripled the size of its mouth as it devoured the carcass. Not to mention trying to avoid the curved buffalo-like horns on top of its stocky head.

It swiveled its pointy ears in every kind of direction to detect any intruders in the area. Lion crouched down and waited for the perfect moment to strike. And the moment came quicker than anticipated.

Its own greediness would prove to be its downfall as it tried to swallow the last large chunk of flesh covered skeleton all at once. And bones don't go down quick.

Lion silently sprung from his hiding area, startling the corrupted gem creature into regurgitating its lunch. He landed a powerful slash across one of its back legs, causing it to yelp in pain. It quickly swiveled around on its front legs to avoid having its back right leg severed.

It roared at him, trying to intimidate him. Lion just narrowed his eyes and huffed through his nose.

He stood on his hind legs and attempted to slash it across its face just for being stupid enough to talk smack to him, but it blocked the swipe with his horns.

Now that Lion was off balance, the gem beast followed suit with its own attempt at a counter swipe across his belly. But Lion dodged it in time by falling onto his back and rolling out of the way before it could stomp on him. He quickly got up and growled at the menacing beast – the hairs on his back stood up creating his own little ridge. The gem creature snarled at the contender and the gemstone ridge along its back began glowing with an acid-green light.

By that time, the out of breath cub managed to reach the scene of the battle taking place. He poked his head above the grass line to witness the intense stare-down of the two combatants.

"_What in the world is that?! Is that a hybrid animal too?!" _he thought when he saw the massive buffalo-tiger-dog thing.

"It's you! You've been messing up everything here haven't you?!" Lion angrily questioned.

All he got for a response was a demented cackle as well as it licking its lips with its long, purple tongue. It narrowed its pupil-less orange eyes as it shifted its shoulder blades, preparing to strike.

Lion growled at that, he knew that there was no point in trying to talk to it anymore. He unleashed a supersonic shockwave, but the rabid animal dodged it. Instead it hit the saliva covered remains, scattering the bones in every kind of direction.

In the fracas, the corrupted being charged at him on its three legs, head lowered ready to skewer him with its horns. But Lion created a warp portal in the air and he jumped up into it.

The mutant stopped on a dime – its two front claws and one back one acting like soccer cleats. It closed its eyes and swiveled its ears around to try and determine where he would appear from.

All of a sudden, a bright light revealed itself underneath the belly of the beast. Like a great white shark leaping out of the water, Lion emerged and sunk his teeth into its chest cavity.

It wailed and fell onto its back, trying desperately to shake him off while trying to slash at his head. It only managed to take off numerous strands of his mane. Lion used his back legs to stand on the creature's pelvic area to spread its short, stubby legs so it couldn't slash into his side.

The beast screamed at him! The action caused more pain to its injured leg and it didn't help that Lion kept digging and clawing into its chest.

"_Almost…there!" _he thought; he could sense the gem there. Before he could get to it, one powerful swipe from the pinned enemy connected with his face.

"GRAAAAAROOOOR" he screamed as he recoiled off the beast before it could sink its sharp claws into his skull. A stream of blood flowed above and below his left eye, causing him to close it. Lion licked his paw and rubbed his eye to try and clean it out.

The monstrosity flipped back onto its three healthy legs and screeched at him. Steven gasped and crouched down in terror when he saw how big its jaw got.

Suddenly, it shot out shards from the acid-green gem ridge on its back like a porcupine. Lion repelled the shards right back at it with another supersonic roar, but it managed to evade the projectiles and kept on firing wave after wave. He couldn't roar fast enough to deflect all of them.

Even when he somehow managed to create a warp portal, one of the shards shot through it, disrupting the wave energy and causing it to disappear. It took every nerve and flexible fascia in his body to dodge the onslaught. But because he was distracted and partially blinded, the beast took the opportunity to lower its head, prepping itself for a devastating skull bash.

Steven picked up on this and yelled, "LION! LOOK OUT!"

Lion's ears perked up when he heard that. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him. That is until his good eye landed on the scared, puffed up little ball of fur hidden in the grass.

"_Steven?!"_ but he quickly looked over when he heard the swift, thundering paw stomps of the opponent.

There was no time to react, the beast was already upon him.

But by some miracle, Lion managed to side-step and contort his body like a matador's cape to avoid the head-on collision that would've undoubtedly smashed his head in. however…just like how a bull catches the tail end of a cape, the creature's horn tore a huge gash on the left side of his body.

"GRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" he roared as he collapsed to ground as the creature still continued its deadly stride. Before it could turn around and finish him off, Lion quickly lifted his head up and let out the most powerful supersonic shockwave he could muster.

"HIEEEEEEEEEP!" it yelped when the blast hit its target, knocking him **hard **against another tree, splintering it in two before crashing to the ground.

But…there was no poofing sound. The creature was down, but for how long was anyone's guess. Lion let his head fall to the ground too; the blood loss made him light-headed. The charged air was still, ready to be reignited by whoever stood up first.

"LION!" Steven yelled as he ran up to his injured brother. He gingerly put his front paws on his belly. Lion hissed in pain and a few tears trickled down his face when Steven did that.

"S-sorry! I'm sorry!" he stuttered before starting to lick his huge wound, with each lap closing up part of the gap.

"S-Steven…I told you…to stay put!" he irritably said through his shallowing breathing.

"I know, but I couldn't just sit there and do nothing! You're hurt and I can help!" he asserted.

But an enraged roar rang throughout the savannah; the malicious monster had gotten up before the count reached ten.

"S-Steven! Get out of here now!" Lion commanded as he tried to stand up, knocking Steven off in the process. But his exhausted state prevented him from doing the basic action.

"NO!" he defiantly refuted.

"GRRR! LEAVE NOW OR SO HELP ME-"

"NO! You always protect me, now it's my turn!" he asserted.

Before Lion could counter that statement, the embattled and annoyed enemy slowly staggered to its feet, trying to shake off the dizzy sensation caused by that shockwave.

"_Alright, gem make me human again"_ Steven clearly thought…well as clear as he could given the predicament they were in. But nothing happened.

"Wha…why isn't it working?!" he panicked.

That's when the beast turned its head in their direction. It's now golden eyes narrowed angrily at the one who inflicted this pain upon it. Steven gulped and lowered his ears when he saw it staggering towards them.

"Steven!" Lion roared as a surge of adrenaline finally allowed him to stand on his feet, but for how long was anyone's guess. "I won't let you risk your life!"

That statement brought back flashbacks of how Jasper, Lapis and Peridot first came to Earth and Garnet said the exact same thing to him.

Talk about déjà vu.

Steven faced his big brother and roared back, "**Well it's my life and it's my call!** I'm gonna protect you whether you like it or not!" Lion stared at him with wide eyes after his powerful declaration.

Then he commanded, "Gem, make me human now!"

But he was still a little cub.

"Aw c'mon! Why won't you work?!" he yelled in frustration.

"_What am I doing wrong? I'm being clear with what I want!_" That's when he realized something. _"…I wanted to be a lion…**for a day**! UGH! STUPID LITTLE DETAILS!"_

He was brought of his thoughts when he heard Lion's deep throated hissing at the now stabilized monstrosity.

"_Oh no!"_ he thought when he recognized it prepping up for another charge. This time it came right out of the gate – **full throttle**!

Lion couldn't let out another supersonic roar. It was taking all of his energy just to stand up on his wobbly legs and it was diminishing by the second. He tried to bring Steven underneath him so at least his body could be used as a shield, but he wouldn't budge.

"No Lion! We're not doing this again!" he roared as he stood in front of him, staring down the beast just like he did with Jasper.

It confidently licked it lips as it increased its speed. Just as the creature was upon them, Steven's gem instinctively glowed and they were surrounded by his bubble shield just as it made contact.

"Whoawhoawhoawhoa!" Steven garbled as he and Lion spun around in the bubble, finally coming to a halt when Steven summoned spikes along the outside to create some traction. The bubble disappeared and both of them fell to the floor.

"Ha! I still can use my powers!" he excitedly exclaimed while in the back of his mind he thought "_Thank goodness that worked._"

But his celebration was cut short when he heard Lion whimper. He turned around and saw that he landed on the injured side of his body.

"LION!" He crawled underneath his belly and tried to lift him up on his back just like he did when he carried the bush buck.

This time his gem heeded to his inner desire and gave him the necessary strength to flip him over as gently as he could onto his non-injured side. The pain from the action caused more water to refresh the set of tear stains along his muzzle.

Steven licked his paw and gingerly wiped away the dirt and grass blades that got stuck in the part of the wound that he didn't get to.

"_That's better"_ he thought…but his own eyes started to get moist at the sight of his battered brother. He'd never seen Lion cry before and needless to say it hurt him deeply.

That's when he turned around and saw the corrupted being shake its head from the collision. It growled at the little cub.

In the back of Steven's mind he knew that it wasn't its fault that it was acting like this…it was sick. However…**anger** temporarily pushed that thought out.

"I'll get you for hurting my brother!" Steven roared as his pupils narrowed to little slits.

The beast cackled in response, obviously not taking him seriously and just chalking up that shield summoning to pure luck.

"S…Steven" Lion whispered, opening one eye.

"It's okay Lion. I got this. After all, you trained me" Steven assured with a confidant smile before morphing it into a menacing snarl at his opponent. Then the little cub rushed toward the corrupted being, whose left front leg was up, ready to squash the insignificant little bug. As soon as he was close enough, it roared and brought its paw down.

Lion's eye got big when he saw that Steven was staying put. A small smirk appeared on Steven's lips as he summoned a shield along his back with spikes protruding from it, just like a koopaling. The beast wailed in pain as it tried to shake off the thorny shield.

All Lion could do was chuckle, even though it hurt a little bit to do so. _"Heh…just like his mother"_ he thought.

Seizing the opportunity, Steven jumped up and latched his claws onto the wounded area of its chest so he could pick up where Lion left off. He unhooked his right claw and focused on creating another knuckle buster. But in order to suit his new feline body, the buster morphed into a knuckle guard with extended nails over his own.

"_Cooool…"_ he thought before he thrust the katar into its side, eliciting a high pitched scream from the battered beast.

Since it couldn't reach him with his legs because of his small size, the corrupted gem cleverly thought to just to flop down onto its belly and finally squish the little rascal for good. For good measure, the beast jumped high into the air and spread its legs out, ready to belly slam the cub into submission.

"Whoa!" Steven yelped when he saw how high they were off the ground, with it getting closer with each passing second.

Lion helplessly watched from through his un-scarred eye, willing his muscles or vocals chords to do anything to stop the decent. But the earlier melee had taken its toll on the embattled protector that he could barely keep his head up before getting dizzy.

Steven felt the wind rustle faster through his mane – he didn't have much time. He retracted his claw out of the beast's lung cavity, causing a pained grimace to cross its features. This time he bite down on its chest fur and summoned another katar over the other paw.

He held them against its puncture wounds, but he didn't stab through them.

"S-STEVEN!" Lion's desperate cry was overshadowed by the reverberations across the lands when the monster landed on top of his little cub.

"ROOOOOOAR!" A surge of anger propelled him to his feet. Just before he could run, or at least hobble very quickly, over to the being and snap its neck in two, the corrupted gem burst into a large cloud of green and black smoke.

"_What the?!"_ Lion rushed over as quickly as he could to the deep impression in the dirt. What he saw caused a relived smiled to cross his features.

There was Steven flat on his back, safe and sound in a pink shield cocoon. He still had the pair of katars over his paws and they were holding up a hexagon-shaped black gem.

Said cub finally cracked his eyes open and beheld the gem he extracted. _"I did it? I DID it! Yea!"_ he happily thought…that is until he remembered what he was thinking prior to engaging the enemy gem.

**_You'll always turn to rage in your darkest hour._**

"…_I did it"_ he dejectedly thought again before banishing his katars and shield cocoon and bubbling the gem back to the temple. That's when he noticed Lion looking over him with a proud smile etched on his muzzle, before collapsing onto the floor.

"LION!" Steven scrambled to his feet and ran out of the depression to his big brother.

He examined the wound on his side and saw that it was fully healed. All that remained was a hairless scar. He went over the other side of his head and started licking the gashes around his eye, closing them up as well.

"L-Lion? Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm…fine. Just…tired…and no. I'm not…going to die" Lion replied. He sighed in relief.

Steven looked around the immediate area. There were claw marks on the ground as well as bone shards scattered all over the place. Not an ideal place for a nap. With that in mind, he once again crawled underneath the upper part of Lion's body. Using the energy provided by his gem, he lifted him up as high as he could.

"S-Steven? What're you…doing?" Lion asked.

"**HUP** I'm taking you back to the spring. It's safer there" came the muffled reply as he started to walk – dragging his buddy from the battle scene…albeit a lot slower than he would've liked.

"…Steven" Lion breathed out after the third time he stopped to take quick rest. "Stop. You don't have to do this. You're…wearing yourself out."

"N-no, it's okay. I'm f-fine" he grunted before resuming his stride.

Lion sighed as he finally gave in and let the child do his thing. After about a half hour or so, they finally reached the papyrus spring.

"W-we're here Lion. We-we made it" Steven breathed out. His little legs were on fire due to over-exertion; gem energy or not.

Lion slowly cracked his eyes open; he didn't even realize that he had fallen asleep. Now that he some energy, he stood up on his back legs first before shifting his upper body off of his exhausted cub.

"Lion, wait! Are you sure you're okay to walk?" Steven asked as he got from up under Lion's chest.

He answered that question by picking him up in his jaw and carried him up onto one of the flat rocks. He put Steven down and did a much needed stretch before plopping his massive body down right next to him.

"Thank…you…" he groggily said.

"No prob Bob, that's just what a family do" he replied.

He hummed in agreement and soon Steven heard light snoring coming from his body. He just stared at him and thought, "_He'll probably be hungry when he wakes up. I'm starting to get a little hungry too" _as he patted his belly.

With a new objective in mind, Steven nuzzled against Lion's head and whispered, "I'll be right back bud. You take it easy" before jumping back into the tall grass and taking off to put his new abilities to good use.

* * *

**_A few hours later…_**

The sky was beginning to be painted with streaks of pink and orange as the sun began its descent behind the encompassing mountain range.

But one animal wasn't enjoying the beautiful view.

Lion's muzzle twitched in agitation and his eyelids connected even tighter together as a different scene displayed itself from the depths of his subconscious.

Dark dust clouds billowing high into the sky. Tremors shaking the normally solid ground. A deadly orchestra of battle roars and screams rang through his eardrums until an eerie silence took hold. Then, within the disturbed debris, a massive, lumbering beast emerged from the dust cloud. Its porcelain white teeth dripped with the blood of the defeated opponent. It sharply turned its head, focusing its attention on a single, shivering object.

"ROOOOOOAR!" it boomed, causing Lion to jerk his whole body up a couple centimeters off of the rock.

His breathing was ragged, but it quickly slowed down once he realized he was still next to the spring. But his cub wasn't next to him.

"S-Steven?" he hesitantly called out. But he didn't get a response.

Rising worry coursed through his body as he gingerly stood up on all fours. He may be healed, but he was still pretty sore.

"Steven?" he roared louder as he looked around the immediate vicinity. But there still was no answer.

"_Where is he?! What if that thing was part of a pack?!"_

Lion's eyes got wide when that disastrous thought entered his mind. He quickly jumped off the rock onto the ground. Just before he was about to take off like the wind, he noticed a group of pink bubbles floating towards him and they appeared to be tied together with a vine.

"_What the!?"_ he thought until a familiar scent hit his nose. His suspicions were confirmed when the little pink ball of fluff exited the tall grass.

"Lion! You're awake! Great, I got us dinner!" Steven excitedly exclaimed before re-grabbing the vine in his mouth.

Lion, on the other paw, was trying to process everything in front of him. There were about five or so bubbles filled with fish and those blue flying lizards. And here was his little cub in front him…not in the belly of some beast.

Although…his appearance could've suggested that he fought another corrupted gem.

His fur was all dirty, messed up and damp. Not to mention there were little twigs and grass blades stuck to him as well as thick mud covering the lower half of his legs. But none of that could erase the proud, toothy smile he sported nor stop his tail from wagging.

"…_This kid really is something"_ he fondly thought as he leaned down and rubbed his head against the dirty cub.

Steven chuckled at the caress, then deduced "Cmn, uff muff ve staring." He walked up onto the flat rock and brought the bouquet of bubbles closer to the ground.

Before he could start popping them Lion said, "Wait, you need to get clean first. Run around in the spring for a bit. I'll hold dinner."

"Mmky!" Steven said as he handed the vine to him. Lion put it under his left front paw.

With dinner safely secured, Steven dove in and splashed around just like before, making sure to scrub as much of the muck out of his fur as he could. _"Definitely gonna need a bath tonight. Who knew that that fish pond was so muddy?"_ he thought before dunking his head under water to wash his curly mane.

After a couple of minutes, he exited the spring and shook the excess water off. "Am I good Lion?" he asked as he slicked his mane back out of his eyes.

"Much better. Let's get you dry" he said as he motioned for him to come closer. Once he was up on the rock, Lion grabbed him with his free paw and started to lick him dry again.

But Steven tried to get push and get out of his hold. "No, Lion! Use the roar the dry me off, it's quicker. I want you to eat" he protested.

"Don't worry about me. Besides…I need to do this."

"What? Why do you need to do this? I know you're hungry and you're still-"

"**I need to do this**" he repeated a little harsher than he would've liked, stunning Steven into silence.

He wanted to ask what he meant by that, but decided against it and to let him continue his soothing cleaning massage. After a few minutes, Steven look liked somebody loved him again.

"T-thank you" he replied.

Lion gave a single nod of his head and brought the bouquet down. He started popping the bubbles, releasing the delicious contents. Lion looked upon the numerous assortment. There were at least twenty-five silver catfish, some of them as big as Steven, and ten lizards.

"You caught all of these?" he asked.

"Y-Yea. Although I did fall in the fish pond a couple of times. And who knew those lizards were so fast? But I did it!" he explained.

"That you did. Thank you Steven" Lion smiled as he separated the food into equal piles for their respective size.

While Lion dove on in, Steven only took little nibbles out of one of the jumbo-sized catfish. His mind was distracted by what Lion said.

"Hey…Lion?" he hesitantly asked as he bubbled his leftovers. Lion swallowed the last bit of his lizard meal and gave Steven his attention.

"I'm sorry."

Lion blinked a couple times to comprehend what he just heard. "Why are you sorry?" he asked.

"I…I didn't mean to be pushy with the food. I was just worried because you got hurt. I mean I've never seen you cry before. I mean of course you'd cry; I'd cry too if I got gashed up like that. But… it's just that you're so calm and cool all the time! You're invincible! That's why **I** wanted to be a lion. I wanted to be just like you! Then all this happened and-"

"Steven" Lion spoke with a soft voice, stopping the little cub's rambling apology. "You have nothing to apologize for. In fact…I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm **not** as calm and cool as you think I am. And I'm definitely **not** invincible. You shouldn't try to emulate me."

"What? But you're the coolest, bravest cat in the universe! And now I find out that you're basically my brother?! How awesome is that?!"

"And what kind of brother would let you get beat up to the point of death like that?!" he roared back, silencing Steven's praise.

"Wha? Are…are you talking about what happened between me and Jasper?" he asked and Lion solemnly nodded his head.

"Steven…for that split second when we brought you to Rose's healing spring…I didn't know if you were going to make it. I gave into stinkin' thinkin' as you say because I remembered that her tears didn't work on me. It wasn't until I licked your head while you were unconscious that I felt your mother's energy. That reminded me of what she could do for you and only then did I know that you would be okay."

"But even after you healed up…it didn't stop the nightmares I had. It didn't stop me from thinking that I had failed you. That I was a **horrible guardian**. You were right when you guessed that I come here to unwind. Sometimes…the stress would just be too much. Well…this is where I get my food too, but that's beside the point."

"When you sang that song when we got back from the desert spring, you did take out most of that negative gunk out of me and I'm truly grateful for it. But…that whole battle with the corrupted gem right now brought those bad, stinkin' thinkin' feelings back up. That's I wanted to clean you up like that…because that was the one thing that put you at peace. The one thing I could do right." he finished.

Steven absorbed everything that was told to him then said, "But…we were on the same page back then…r-right?"

"We were. I knew **exactly** what you had in mind when you told me to leave. I warped to the top of the cliff to wait for the right moment to strike. As soon as Jasper had you in her hand, I was just about to come down there and slash her across her back…**but a voice commanded me not to**."

"What? Was…was it mom?" Steven asked.

"No…this voice was different. It was quiet yet powerful. I don't know how else to describe it. And believe me, I was fighting to ignore it…but I couldn't. It was like it paralyzed me into obeying it. I…I felt so helpless watching you get beat up like that. There was no reason for you to experience that kind of pain! It was pointless! But I couldn't go against it! It was only until Jasper stepped on you that it told me to go down there" he explained as he shuddered, trying to keep it together.

But Steven rushed up and hugged him around his leg. Lion was taken aback by the action and stared at him as the mist faded from his eyes.

"Lion, I don't blame you for what happened! You trusted your instincts and it all worked out in the end, right? I got to meet my mom, learn some cool new powers, and my family got bigger! So no more stinkin' thinkin…please?" he begged.

"You're still the greatest friend and brother in the whole world! You even brought me here so I could have a good time. I just wish you didn't get hurt like that…"

Lion wrapped his free paw around him and said, "Steven. It would've happened whether or not you were here with me. That thing had been here a while, and it just so happened that we saw it today. And I'm glad **you** were here or else these animals nor I would be here. I can deal with a few missing hairs off of my body, they'll grow back. You brought balance back to this area."

"But…I did it out of rage…" he muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Lion asked.

Steven nuzzled closer into his leg. He didn't want to remember…but he had to. "…The dream I had this morning…it was **bad**. Those mean voices said that I would turn to rage in my darkest hour to give me power…that it was in my blood. I was so angry at that thing for hurting you that I-"

"Steven, don't you dare believe what that voice said!" Lion roared, cutting him off. "Like Garnet said, anger is a neutral emotion. You used yours to give you a clear objective, **to protect** **me**. Is that wrong?"

"N-no" he stuttered, although Lion could sense that he was still rattled by what that entity said.

"Steven…I know you have a lot on your mind…some that you can't share and probably don't want to. But like you told me, don't give into stinkin' thinkin'. You mean way too much to me, even though I know I don't show it. I know I act aloof and confident, but I put on that front to give you confidence. Please know that I'm truly grateful to have you in my life."

Looking up at the sky, he chuckled at a distant memory. "Heh…I remember when Rose first told me she was going to have you. When I pressed my nose up against her belly, you kicked. **A lot**. In fact that she had to sit down for a minute. _"Awwwww…he likes you!"_ she told me, with stars in her eyes no less." Steven giggled at that.

"Ever since then, I practiced all of the abilities your mother taught me so I could look after you. **To be the perfect guide and guardian.** When I sensed your energy being brought into this world, I wanted nothing more than to go over to you. I was that excited!"

"But just days before you were born, Rose told me to only reveal myself to you when your powers activated. She said that the rest of gems needed to come together and mature in her absence. To be there for you as well as your father."

"Of course I wasn't all that happy about it, especially when you kicked again when I put my paw on her bigger belly. But it didn't stop me from coming over and getting a few glances at you whenever I could. And needless to say…she was right in assuming that I'd probably would've taken you away from them and raised you myself when I saw the…less ideal state of mind they were in. But one thing was very obvious. **You were happy.** And it spread to the others."

"That's when I remembered what she told me. It was the same thing you told Jasper. **Love is patient, kind and never fails.** I didn't understand what she meant at the time she spoke it, but I did then. Despite the circumstances, you still grew up into the courageous, loving, albeit **very hardheaded** little ball of fluff in front of me. So I waited until the time was right to meet you and here we are" he finished.

"Wow…talk about waiting for things to play out, huh?" he commented.

"Yea…all those years and experiences definitely gave her immense wisdom. Now **that's** trusting your intuition right there" he added.

"Yea. And Lion? I think you're the perfect guardian for me" Steven smiled.

Lion did a double blink, then smiled at his charge. "Well…I think you're pretty great too" he said before giving him an affectionate lick on the cheek. Nuzzling his head against Steven's he whispered, **"Don't try so hard to be something you already are." **

"What?" he asked.

"You'll understand one day" he replied. "_Hopefully sooner than you think" _he thought as a long forgotten location entered his mind. But that would be for another day.

Stars started to dot the indigo sky as the sun finally set behind the mountain range. "C'mon, it's getting late and you need to finish your dinner. Or else you won't be strong enough to fight off…the crushing claw!"

In a swift move, he pinned Steven on his back. But instead of crushing him like he dubbed his right paw, he tickled his soft belly.

"Hahahah! L-Lion! S-stop! Hahahah!" Steven's laughter rang throughout the peaceful plains, echoing the same sentiment felt by all the living creatures. Once again they were happy and safe in their environment. All thanks to a determined little cub.

* * *

**_Back at the beach house…_**

The wooden sanctuary was filled with the peaceful snores of the two inhabitants…that is until the shimmering light from the warp pad caused the larger occupant to cease his siesta.

He groggily lifted his head off of the plush bed and slowly opened his eyes to behold Garnet, Amethyst and Lapis talking about something or another. His mind was still in "lay-down mode", so he couldn't process what they were saying nor did he care. He just wanted them to go back to their rooms or somewhere other than here so silence could reign in the house again. Because so help him if they disturbed his sleeping cub…

Eventually the shaded eyes of the fused leader reflected Lion's half-lidded, somewhat agitated gaze. The others followed suit.

"Why is Lion on Steven's bed?" Lapis quizzically asked.

"Looks like they were having a slumber party! Welp…time for the party crasher to make an entrance!" Before Amethyst could even think about leaping up to the bedroom loft, Garnet held her by her shoulder.

"Aw c'mon G! It just a little fun. I bet the little guy was bored out of his mind while we were gone" Amethyst protested.

"…Seems like Lion isn't too keen on your idea of fun" Garnet commented when she saw him bare his fangs and hiss at them.

"What's wrong with him? Did something happen to Steven?!" As soon as she uttered that question, Lapis ran up the stairs to check on her all time fun buddy. Amethyst and Garnet followed suit.

"Lion, where's Steven?" she demanded, worry evident in her voice when she didn't see said boy.

Lion huffed through his nose, clearly not happy with having so many people in his personal space. He knew that more questions were going to come when they saw Steven's current state. Hopefully Garnet could fill them in with that future-thingy or whatever it's called.

"_Well…it's now or never"_ he thought as he moved his paw out of the way to reveal the sleeping, curled up pink ball of fluff.

Everyone just stared at the breathing organism.

"…What is that?" Lapis asked.

A cheeky smile crossed Amethyst's features and she asked, "Lion…have you been busy?"

Lion looked at her through narrowed eyes, clearly not finding that question **at all** amusing.

The little ball of fur started to stir due to the noise as well as the lack of warmth from not having Lion's paw on top of him. Everyone got quiet, especially when Lion bared his fangs at them again. It rolled over, revealing the signature pink gemstone on its belly, stretched its body out all the way to its little toes out before rolling closer to Lion's body and going back to sleep. Lion covered him back up with his paw.

"That's…that's Steven?!" Lapis incredulously whispered.

"Well whadyya know. He figured out how to shapeshift while we were away. I wish I could've seen it" Amethyst commented.

"Yea, he's so cute! Just makes you want to cuddle and squish him" Lapis fondly said. But her smile disappeared when Lion shot her a "_Try it and I'll slash your face off"_ death glare.

Noticing the slight ridge forming on Lion's back, Garnet decided that their "Check on Steven" mission was complete.

"Alright gems, let's head back. Lion's got things under control. We'll teach him how to change back once he wakes up" she quietly commanded as she adjusted her shades. Lapis and Amethyst nodded and headed downstairs back to the warp pad.

"Hey G? You comin'?" Amethyst whispered.

"Go on ahead, I'll be there shortly" she replied.

With that the two gems took off in the beam of light, leaving Garnet alone with the overly protective feline.

"…Looks like you two went on quite the adventure today" she commented as she gently ran her sapphire embedded hand over the fuzzy yet slightly coarse hair around Lion's left eye.

Lion hummed in agreement as he looked down at his little cub before licking the tuft of chocolate brown hair. That elicited a low rumble from the sleeping youngling.

Garnet smiled at Steven's purring and said, "I'm glad you two are alright. Thank you for looking after him."

With one last pat on the head, Garnet went downstairs to the warp pad and disappeared in the stream of light, leaving serene silence in its wake. Lion just stared at the pad for a moment; the lull of the encroaching tide filled the beach house.

"…**That's just what a family do." **

Steven's words echoed through his mind as he settled his head back down onto the plush pillows. He cradled his cub as close as he could, creating a shield that he hoped with all his might would defend against those mind invading voices. He'd been there too many times to count and he wasn't about to let Steven experience it again.

After all…it's all part of the unwritten, yet instinctive, **big brother code**.

* * *

**No matter how it appears on the outside, you don't know what's going on on the inside. Now that Steven's realized that he can't, in a sense, run away from his problems, what is he going to do? And who was the voice that told Lion not to intervene? And what location did he remember? Stay tuned for part 3 of "One on One."**

**I drew a lot inspiration from "The Lion King", especially the morning scene with Simba and Mufasa. Not to mention my own experiences with my own cats. **

**True story, when my dad was a kid, my aunt kept bothering their cat Teddy and he got so mad that he latched onto her pants and shredded them. That's "the claw incident." **

**And I had no idea that Lions couldn't purr and the real reason why cats sharpen their claws. Researching is cool! And yes, hangry is a real word. At least for me anyway. If I don't eat, you'd better watch out. Speaking of eating, one of my coworkers brought in some ground elk meat and we had elk burgers. It was really rich and gamey, but good.  
**

**Now for the gem animals. I found it a little odd that that gem lizard thing that Lion was eating from "Lion 2: The Movie" had bones, flesh and whatnot, whereas the baby centipeedles just poofed away. I don't know, gave me something to think about and I came up with that. And it's a great explanation as to why there might be cryptids(Secret Saturdays).**

**We'll see what the show has in store for Lion's backstory, but in my story I'm making them brothers!**

**For the corrupted gem, it was a combination of a striped hyena, cape buffalo, and a Tasmanian tiger(have you seen the jaws of those things? It's crazy!) And it turns out that cape buffalo are known as "The Black Death" because they're so dangerous(Lion can attest to that).**

**I hope you guys could picture the animal fight okay. I got the idea for the katars from Voldo from the Soul Caliber Series.  
**

**Here's a hint as to who was talking to Lion. Listen to what Garnet says at the end of "Keeping it Together" when Steven asks her if she disappears when she splits up.**

**Also, that dream that Lion had was a deeply buried memory. His pride's male lion was killed in combat by another male and as per the rules, all the young that belonged to the loser is killed off because they have weak genes. But Lion managed to escape him.**

**So far we have a weak-spirited Lapis Lazuli, a runt Amethyst, a scarred-up Jasper, an underdeveloped Peridot cyborg, a defective Pearl, an abomination in Garnet, an inferior gene lion and a hybrid diamond child. Keep that in mind as we go through this arc as well as the end of the story. **


	33. Chapter 33

**When Steven plays his guitar, listen to "The Woods of Light" from Rayman 2: The Great Escape. If you want to.**

* * *

A nose twitch.

A long yawn.

Even a little shift in body positions.

Who knew such small actions could elicit a numerous round of "awwwwww's" only to be followed up with a resounding "SHHHH!" by whoever decided to be the noise regulator.

Unbeknownst to the torpor lion cub, he was the star performer in the eyes of his surrounding familial audience.

Lapis was on her knees on the left side of the bed. She was resting her head on her hands, just observing the peaceful cub with a giddy smile and star-filled eyes.

Peridot stood behind her with her holo-pad engaged, silently scanning Steven's new form.

"_Amazing! Somehow his gem managed to morph his basic structure all the way down to the cellular level! For a gem it's doable because of our light generated holographic forms but for organic life...this is unheard of! Then again…__**he's**__ unheard of. I wonder if it hurt at all?"_ she thought as she continued to take observational notes.

Amethyst was on the end of his bed gently stroking his soft paw pads. That caused a small smile to appear on his little lips as well as garnering a few chuckles out of her.

"Amethyst" Garnet silently ordered and she immediately stopped her fleeting touches.

"Sorry G. I can't help it! He's just too dang cute not to mess with" Amethyst sheepishly replied. "I want him to hurry and wake up. Wait til he sees what we brought back for him!"

"I understand your excitement, but we have to be patient. I'm sure his transformation took a lot of energy" she explained.

But the way her Ruby embedded hand tapped on her oppositely crossed arm spoke volumes of her subtle impatience as well. "…_I guess tiny paws are a weakness of mine as well" _she thought as she smiled when Steven rolled onto his back and stretched all four of his paws, even extending his retractable claws, before rolling back over onto his side and closer to Lapis.

Lapis' grin got wider as she watched his belly go up and down with each breath that he took. She had to restrain herself from picking him up and squeezing his furry form to little pieces.

Garnet decided to sit on the opposite side of the bed across from Lapis. She carefully placed her arms on the mattress, silently hoping that he would roll over to her side.

Pearl and Jasper stood the furthest away from the bed, over near the TV. Pearl had her hands clasped in front of the lower half of her body whereas Jasper had her arms tightly crossed across her chest.

Pearl gulped and Jasper's hair spiked up as they both tensed up when Steven did another nose twitch and sneezed. They immediately calmed down when the action didn't wake him up. Swirling emotions churned inside of them with each unconscious move that he made. Half of them wanted nothing more than to cuddle with him. But the other half didn't want to be around when he woke up. They didn't want to experience that awkward, distrustful silence that could form between them.

"I wonder where Lion is" Pearl whispered as she wished, for once, that he was actually inside the house.

"Yea…it's weird. You guys should've seen him last night. He didn't even want us to **breathe** on him, let alone touch him. It was like he thought that we were going to hurt…oh" Amethyst cringed when she caught herself mid-sentence.

She slowly turned around and saw Pearl's hair droop a little bit as she rubbed her hands up and down on her arms as if she was cold.

A small scowl formed on Jasper's lips as she crossed her arms tighter and looked down at the floor. "…Guess Steven isn't the only one we need to restore our trust with" she quietly said.

Amethyst mentally cursed at her little slip-up. **Of course** Lion didn't want them anywhere near him. Especially after all the junk he **just** went through. She looked around at the other gems.

The luster in Lapis' eyes disappeared and she placed her hands on her lap as she rung the end of her skirt.

Peridot kept fiddling with her holo-pad, just staring at it as if it were the only thing in the room right now. But there was still the noticeable nervous twitch in her right eye. Garnet just re-crossed her arms and leaned against the wooden wall.

"_Aw geez…"_ Amethyst internally exasperated as she rubbed her forehead, moving her hair out of her eye.

"Grrrrrrrr…."

That small rumble snapped them out of their despondent aura and they gave their full attention back to the little cub.

"Rrrrrrr…rowr! Grrrrraaaa…" came the indiscernible growls and roars. He was gnashing his teeth and swiping at the air…as if he was fighting an invisible enemy.

"…_**Our thoughts!**__"_ they all realized.

Peridot dismissed her holo-pad and sat next to Lapis as the blue gem tried to soothe the distraught cub by scratching underneath his chin. That's he what always did to Lion and it calmed him down.

Garnet put her arms back on the bed. Pearl quickly sat by her side and gingerly touched around his gemstone. She knew that belly rubs always made him feel better.

Jasper hesitantly took a seat next to Amethyst. She wanted to help, but wasn't sure how to go about it. So she settled on trying to be as close to her little cub as she could – hoping against all odds that he could feel her protecting presence.

Eventually the agitated air around Steven dissipated and content purring took its place. Smiles returned to all of their faces once the serene atmosphere reigned again. Pearl and Lapis ceased their comforting caresses when he stretched out again and rolled over closer to Jasper and Amethyst before curling back up into a ball.

"Heh…" Jasper couldn't help but crack a smile at the sight of the sleeping cub in front of her. _"Guess he felt it after all"_ she thought before touching his velvety, chocolate-brown tuft of a mane.

"Gems" Garnet whispered and Jasper immediately retracted her hand.

"I…I know we still feel bad about everything that's happened to him, but what we did just now…**that was amazing**."

"It was?" questioned Peridot.

"Yes, it was. It doesn't matter how big or small the action is, it's the thought behind it. The neck scratching, the belly rubs and even all of us coming together to be closer to him made him feel better. Safer. Not only that, it got rid of our stinkin' thinkin' thoughts. And it was all fueled by our love for him. So I **know** we can move past this – we can't get discouraged. Yes…it'll take time. But for us…that's never been an issue. Like Steven said, it's all a learning experience and the only way to learn from our mistakes is to **not** repeat the bad parts but to **keep on doing the good parts**. And like you said Lapis, it took love for you three to put your trust in him. Now we have to do the same if he's ever going to put his trust back in us" she finished as she and everyone else focused their gaze on the sleeping boy.

"Yea…and guys? I'm s-sorry about…y'know…"

"No, Amethyst. You were right and we needed to hear that. One day we'll regain **everyone's **trust" Pearl comfortingly said as placed her hand on her shoulder. Amethyst smiled at the gesture and said, "Thanks P." Pearl nodded and took her hand off her shoulder.

As soon as she did that, Steven slowly stood up on his feet. Everyone immediately brought their hands to their bodies and were as still as statues.

"…His eyes are still closed" Peridot whispered but quickly quieted down when everyone glared at her – silently telling her to shush with their widened eyes.

Steven wobbly walked over to where Pearl and Garnet were, then started to paw at the comforter. Pearl cringed when she heard the slight rips his claws were doing, but after a couple of times he plopped back down on his belly and put his forearms underneath his head. His body was all spread out like a mini fur rug. He let out a long yawn before settling further into the cushy blanket.

A huge grin formed on Pearl's lips at the sight of Steven's peaceful frame directly in front of her. She looked over at Garnet with big, pleading, puppy-dog eyes. The stoic leader smiled and nodded, giving her permission to touch their little cub. Pearl smiled in response and cautiously reached her shaky hand out to touch him.

* * *

Just before she made contact with his velvety fur, a circular flash of pink light manifested itself out of thin air in the living room, with Lion somehow silently skidding to a stop along the wooden floorboards. As soon as he got his bearings, he looked up expecting to see Steven still sleeping on the bed. But his eyes widened when he saw that he was surrounded by…**them**.

The gems followed suit with their own startled gazes upon him, but paying more attention to whatever he was carrying in his mouth.

But his surprised stare didn't last long before it morphed into an agitated glare.

"H-Hold up Lion! It's not-" but Amethyst's explanation fell on deaf ears when he dropped the foreign, fur-covered object and let loose a resounding roar.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what his roar meant, but Lapis still tried to soothe the over-protective protector. "Lion, it's okay! I swear we're not hurting him! We were just watching over him!" she explained.

Lion merely huffed through his nose, scoffing at her proclamation. Without being told, Lapis, Peridot, Amethyst and Jasper moved out of the way when he clambered up the stairs to see for himself. And true to her word, Steven was still asleep. How was beyond anyone's reasoning since Lion's roar almost matched the decibel of the wailing stone.

"See? We would **never** hurt him." Lapis confidently assured. That is until her confidence shrunk under his incredulous, narrowed gaze. "…**Not intentionally"** she quietly added as she fiddled with her fingers.

Lion huffed in agreement with that notion, but it soon morphed into a resigning sigh. He knew that he shouldn't be so uptight, but it was his duty to protect him. Not to mention his instinctive big bro code was clouding his mind a bit. He shook his head to try and clear out some of those conflicting thoughts, then gently placed his paw on top of the youngling's body to wake him up.

But Pearl contested, "Lion, no! He needs his rest!" But she immediately toned it down when Lion gave her the _"really"_ look coupled with an annoyed growl.

"I…think Lion knows what Steven needs more than **we** do" Garnet said as she placed her hand on her shoulder. Pearl nodded in defeat.

"_Steven, time to wake up"_ he softly roared.

After a couple of shakes, the drowsy cub's eyelids twitched, signaling that his brain was awake at least. He let out a long yawn before slowly standing up on all fours and doing the downward lion yoga pose, extending his claws in the process.

"Hmmmmmm..." he muttered as he moved forward and stretched out his back legs one at a time, all the way out to his little toes.

Lapis had to cover her mouth so another "awwww" wouldn't escape her lips when his little tail crinkled up like a curly fry.

He shook his head to get the sleepies out and finally opened his eyes. Once his blurry vision came into focus, the first thing he saw was Pearl's smiling countenance.

"…Pearl?" he groggily said.

"Good morning Steven" she tenderly said.

A smile of his own manifested on his muzzle as he slurred, "Gggg'mornin'…" before teetering over and falling back onto the bed.

"STEVEN?!" everyone exclaimed, but their distraught state of mind went back to normal once they realized he just fell back asleep.

"Oh thank goodness!" Pearl said relieved as she held her hand to her illusionary heart.

"Wow…little guy's really worn out" Amethyst commented.

"I knew it! I was-" Before Pearl had a chance to boast about being right about him needing rest, Lion shot her the death glare.

"I wonder if this is a side effect of his transformation" Peridot commented.

"Maybe…but Lion sleeps a lot during the day as well. Well…**a lot** period. I believe his transformation actually turned him into a **lion**." Garnet surmised.

"Well…yea. That's kinda obvious" Jasper commented.

"That's not what I meant. I meant that he's no longer human. Now he's a **lion/gem hybrid**" she clarified.

"What?!" they all exclaimed.

"I have to concur with Garnet. Look at this" Peridot said as she expanded her holo-screen so everyone could see. "His skeletal and muscular structure has completely changed to that of a miniature lion. Even going so far as to grow the necessary components such as those sharp touch stumps."

"Claws" Amethyst clarified.

"Right…" Peridot said as she corrected her notes.

"You don't think he'll stay that way do you? I mean I like animals and all, but still" Amethyst asked.

"Hmmmm…." Garnet hummed but was taken out of her thoughts when Lion got up on the bed and gave Steven a couple of long lick across his belly, garnering a few giggles out of him.

"L-Lion! S-Stop!" he begged. Lion ceased his tickling tongue attack and got off the bed. Thanks to the stimulating action, Steven yawned and opened his eyes again, only this time he saw Garnet in front him.

"…Garnet?" he asked.

"Hello there, **little cub**" she replied.

"Hey! Only I get to say that!" Jasper rebuffed.

Steven turned his head to see his tiger-striped mentor glaring at the chuckling fusion. Then he heard a low growl coming from his bud saying, _"I'm the only one who gets to call him that __**now**__."_

"…Little cub?" he repeated as he stood up on the squishy mattress. Once all the wires were charged up in his fully awakened mind, stars appeared in his eyes as he exclaimed, "OH YEA! Guys, I can transform now! I turned into a lion! How cool is that?!" as he wagged his tail.

"Very cool! And you're sooo cute!" Lapis declared with starry eyes of her own as she scooped him up in her arms – completely forgetting the fact that Lion was **right there**.

Lion sighed and shook his head; he wouldn't be held responsible if Steven did something to her out of annoyance. But…then again…Steven's not him.

Lapis was absolutely grinning with delight when he started to purr from her scratching underneath his chin. Soon the blissful atmosphere manifested itself into a faint, shimmering light emanating from their gems.

A small scowl appeared on Peridot's face when she saw that "ultimate compatibility" glow around them. "Ahem" she uttered. "In order for me to get a proper analysis on Steven's new form, I believe that I should hold him…**now**. Please?" she added, remembering the correct manner magic word.

"…Sure Peridot" Lapis hesitantly agreed. "Just be careful with him."

"Psssh! Please, I'm a technician. I'm always careful" she claimed as she dismissed her holo-pad and held her arms out to receive him. Lapis carefully placed him in her arms, but he was having trouble getting comfortable.

"S-Steven! Hold still!" Peridot exasperated as his tail kept brushing against her face.

"S-sorry! It's just…hard to sit in your arms" he apologized as he tried to grip her slippery arms with his claws, leaving claw marks on her enhancers. But she didn't care about that; nothing a little buffering and polish couldn't fix. She was determined to get that glow again.

Meanwhile, Amethyst and Jasper were trying to contain their laughter from the funny scene in front of them. Especially when Steven stood up trying to balance himself but accidently put his front paws on top of her head, parting the top of her triangular hair.

"Fold your arms like this" Lapis demonstrated and Peridot finally managed to cradle the cub.

"B-better?" she asked.

"Hmmmm…too hard" Steven growled.

"W-what!? Wait hold on, I can fix this!" as she tried another position but Lion had seen enough.

"_**Alright!**_" he said even though to everyone, except Steven, it sounded like another annoyed roar. Peridot flinched and stood still as he picked him up out of her arms using his mouth.

"LION!" Pearl yelled. She would've had a brain aneurysm (if she had any blood vessels) when she saw his fangs look like they were about to crush Steven's fragile body.

Garnet sighed and shook her head. "_She forgot already"_ she thought.

"Wh-wh-what?! How is that better?!" Peridot demanded when he dropped him back on the bed.

"Yes, doesn't that even hurt!?" Pearl inquired.

"Nope. I dunno why. It's actually really soft in his mouth" he simply explained. They couldn't believe it.

"You! I demand you open your mouth this instant!" Peridot commanded Lion, but the latter merely shot her another death glare. She gulped from the intimidating stare. Soon he re-directed his gaze back to Steven, who was on the receiving end of some nice strokes from Garnet. A faint glow emanated from their gemstones and Peridot puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

"Errrgh!" she muttered in defeat as she re-engaged her holo-pad to take more notes. _"I WILL get to the bottom of this!"_ she internally declared.

* * *

"How does it feel?" Garnet asked.

"It feels nice…and warm" he purred as he closed his eyes, on the verge of falling asleep again.

Garnet chuckled at that as her two components thought:

"_Well…you do tend to get all hot when something cute comes along"_

"_It's a good thing you balance me out or else I'd never cool down"_

"_Oh Ruby…"_

"That's not what I meant Steven" Garnet composed herself long enough to speak. "I mean how does it feel to be a lion?"

"Oh! Well…I dunno. It just feels…normal to me. Y'know aside from the claws, fur, tail, sharp teeth and whatever else. But it feels awesome! But I also feel like I'm still me…I'm not making any sense am I?" he asked.

"You're making perfect sense" Garnet assured as she stopped petting him.

"Yea, bud! I know what you mean. It's freakin' awesome! But you know what'd be even better?" Amethyst asked.

"What?" he asked.

In a flash of purple light, Amethyst transformed herself into a matching purple lion cub. The only difference was that she had a short, wispy white mane instead of a curly one. "Two lion cubs!" she roared before attempting to pounce on him.

But thanks to his training, Steven avoided the playful attack and got on top of her. "Ha! Pinned you!" Steven cheered.

"Hey, lemme up" Amethyst said and Steven heeded her command. As soon as he let his guard down, Amethyst did a sneak pounce attack. The rest of the gems watched in bewildered amazement as the two cubs wrestled each other.

"Amethyst, be careful with him!" Pearl chided.

"C'mon Steven! Condense yourself and break out of her hold!" Jasper coached when he was caught in her forearms. That's when the rest of the gems gave her a '_really'_ look; even Garnet was thinking the same thing even though her eyes were covered.

"…What?" she defended, but her flustered countenance was quickly replaced by a proud gleam in her eyes when Steven did exactly what she said.

Lion, on the other paw, had flashbacks of how Rose described a younger Amethyst and decided that playtime was over. Although a small smirk did cross his lips when Steven pinned her again. He let out another commanding roar, not nearly as loud as when he first entered the house, but enough to get everyone's attention.

"Aw c'mon Lion!" Amethyst whined as she got up from up under Steven. "We were just messing around. **Lion up**" she extenuated. Lapis, Garnet and Pearl smirked at her little pun, but Peridot and Jasper were completely clueless.

"…Lion up? What's so funny about that?" Jasper asked.

"Indeed, why would the Lion suddenly need to acquire hovering capabilities? And why would that be amusing? If anything that'd be frightening" Peridot inquired.

Amethyst sighed and said, "…I'll explain later" before transforming back to her original form.

Lion didn't understand what she was talking about either, nor did he care. He picked up Steven in his mouth again and carried him downstairs.

"Lion! Where are you going?!" Pearl yelled. But the gargantuan cat ignored her frantic questioning.

Just as she was about to hop over the bed and take him out of his powerful jaws, Garnet grabbed her hand. She gave her an incredulous look before remembering what she just said about Lion knowing more about what he needs than them, so she took deep breaths to steady her motherly instincts. All of them made their way down to the living room area just as Lion placed him in front of the fur covered object.

"…What is that?" Jasper asked.

Stars appeared in Steven's eyes as that delicious smell hit his enlarged nostrils. "Bush buck!" he happily declared.

"Bush buck?!" they repeated.

"Yea! Breakfast!" he excitedly said.

"B-Breakfast?!" they repeated again, trying to catch up and make sense of what was taking place.

"_Actually it's zebra. See the stripes?"_ Lion explained.

"Oh yea! Welp, still smells good! Is this all for me?" he asked and Lion nodded his head. "Thank you for the food! And you too zebra" as he bowed his head.

"Z-z-zebra? What on Earth is he talking about?! And why is he bowing?!" Peridot exasperated but the rest of the gems' minds were just as frazzled and confused. As soon as he lifted his head up, he dove on in like it was the last meal in the world – tearing the fur off and exposing the oozing, red muscular flesh.

"I've never seen a breakfast food like that before" Lapis commented.

"Well…at least its composition is organic so it must suit his dietary needs…somehow" Peridot explained as she calmed down long enough to scan the item. "But I don't understand why it's leaking that same red substance that came out of Steven when a piece of glass penetrated his protective skin barrier" she commented.

When Pearl heard and saw that, she completely lost it. Well…more than usual. Her skin got even paler than it usually was and her pupils shrunk to the size of mustard seeds. She incoherently stuttered, "Wha hem egeefu! Blood! It's blood! Oh my rock, **that's raw meat!**"

"…I always wondered if that tasted good" Amethyst causally said, and it didn't help Pearl's completely jacked up state of mind.

"AMETHYST, this is serious! There's blood on the floor, blood on him! Countless of dangerous bacteria! He could get food poisoning!" Just as she was about to drag the carcass away, both Lion and Steven growled at her, with their pupils forming little slits as well as a tiny ridge forming along their backs.

Pearl was taken aback at first, but her motherly instincts wouldn't let her give in. Everyone else, on the other hand, slowly backed away from the irritated guardian and his hangry, blood-drenched cub when their small growls morphed into full on snarling.

Well…Pearl had to be carried away by Garnet who was flailing about with all her might to break out of her iron grip.

"Pearl**guh** calm down!" Garnet calmly commanded even though she got a nice elbow to her cheek. "You're overreacting"

"I'M NOT OVERREACTING! You can't stand there and tell me that that's okay!" she protested.

"…_Déjà vu"_ Lapis thought then said, "Pearl. We can't be moved by what we see…no matter how gross it looks. Besides…didn't you say that Rose found beauty in **everything**? That includes the way organic life eats, doesn't it?"

When she heard that, she ceased her erratic movements and stared at the blue gem. "W-what are you saying?!" she demanded.

"Look…I don't mean to push aside your concerned feelings for him. I mean Lion was pretty much acting the same way earlier when we were surrounding his bed."

Pearl stole a glance at the appointed guardian as he resumed his vigilant watch over his hungry cub.

"Lion wouldn't do anything to put him in danger, just like **we** wouldn't put him in danger" she extenuated. A low hum passed through Lion's vocal chords when he heard that. Steven, on the other paw, was completely oblivious to the conversation taking place. The only thought on his ravenous mind was filling his empty belly.

"If there is anything I learned from the whole…**incident**…is that fear is the belief in the worst possible outcome and that it sucks all the common sense out of you. So…do you believe that something bad will happen to Steven even though Lion, **his designated protector**, was the one who brought him this meal?" she asked.

Pearl looked at her, then to Lion and finally the little cub who nearly devoured all of the meat, leaving only the fur and bone left.

"…No" she finally said.

With that accepting tone, Garnet released her and helped steady her on her feet. "...Sorry everyone" she apologized while looking at the ground. "And to you too Lion" she added. The stoic cat looked at her and nodded, accepting her apology.

"Hey don't sweat it P. Soon you won't be a worry wart anymore. All that'll be left is mushy-gushy, lovey doting stuff" Amethyst said and Pearl couldn't help but chuckle. Soon the infectious attitude spread throughout the rest of group and smiles crossed their features as well. But the blissful aura was broken by a house-shaking **BURRRRRRRP**

Everyone looked down the plump cub who was licking his lips. Once he realized that all eyes were on him, Steven sheepishly said, "E-excuse me."

Giddy sun-filled eyes returned to the majority of the team; Peridot was too busy scanning the remains and the inside of his body. Only Steven could still look adorable while being covered in animal blood and surrounded by bone and fur pieces.

"Can I have some water please?" he asked. Lapis took the initiative and generated some water out of her gem. She flowed it into his mouth until his thirst was quenched. "BUUURRRRRP! Excuse me, again" he said.

"Ahhahaha! Alright Ste-cub! Looks like it's time for a belching rematch Garnet" Amethyst grinned.

"I'll defend my title" Garnet confidently replied.

But Pearl was still completely mortified.

"Uh…Pearl? Are you okay?" he hesitantly asked.

"I'm fine! Perfectly fine!" she quickly assured, although her the sweat drops on her forehead spoke otherwise.

"Y-you sure?" he asked.

She was quiet for minute then sighed. "Well…it's just…you growled at us" she finally said.

"I did?!"

She nodded and said, "I'm sorry if I upset you. I'm just not used to seeing all…this" as she gestured to the remains.

"I get it, and I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to growl, honest! I…I guess I was really hangry."

"Hangry? Does it hurt?" Jasper asked.

"Well…kinda. When I don't eat I get hungry and then that hunger turns into pain. And when I'm in pain"

"You get agitated" Jasper finished for him.

"Yea…Lion says it's hard to focus on anything other than food when you're hangry" he explained.

"Wait…you can understand him? Like actually talk to him with your lips and not in your head?!" Amethyst asked.

"Yea! My gem gave me the ability to talk to him" he explained.

"Sweet! So if you transformed into a kangaroo, you could talk to'em?" she asked.

"Yea…I guess I could. But why a kangaroo?"

"I always wanted to know where they learn those sweet boxing punches and kicks" she explained.

"Wait…there's an earth species, besides humans, that knows hand-to-hand combat?" Jasper asked.

"Sure, there's plenty of'em. I mean Lion could probably learn to if he wanted to" Amethyst casually suggested.

"…_That's actually not a bad idea"_ Lion thought as he looked Jasper up and down. A small smirk formed on his face.

"Before we even think about other earth creatures, we should probably focus on turning him back into a hu…er…Gem-man" Peridot suggested.

"Gem-man?" everyone asked.

"The name's a work in progress" Steven explained.

"I still think the term hybrid is satisfactory in my opinion" Peridot stated.

"NO!" Pearl suddenly yelled, startling everyone.

"Alright! Sheesh, you didn't have to yell. Although I'd like to see **you** come up with a better name" Peridot irritably replied.

"Not that! He's not changing back!" she clarified.

"What? Why not?" Amethyst asked.

"Bath time! NOW!" she screamed.

"Okay, geez! Dang, I know you're a neat freak but you don't need to shout it out!"

"It's…it's not that. I don't want him to look like when he went through…y'know…**recovery mode**" she managed to explain.

A collective **"oh"** echoed through the house and Lapis said, "C'mon Steven, let's get you cleaned up" as she reached down to pick him up.

"That's okay, Lion can clean me up. Plus, I don't wanna get you covered too" he said as he backed away from her hands.

"Wha? How?" Pearl incredulously asked.

"With his tongue! It's actually really relaxing" he said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

But that simple notion was the straw that broke the camel's back in Pearl's mind; Garnet had to catch her before she fainted.

"_Uh…I think you better take a normal bath, for her sake. I don't think she can handle you being coated in spit too"_ Lion whispered.

"…Oh" Steven realized as he watched Pearl stand on her wobbly legs.

"Never mind, Lion doesn't feel like it. But I can walk to the tub. I don't want to cover you in blood" he told Lapis.

She chuckled and said, "Steven. I control water remember? I'll be fine. Plus, you probably don't want to leave red footprints everywhere"

"Oh…yea" he realized and Lapis cradled him in her arms.

"Wait! I want to observe this "bath time" ritual as well" Peridot proclaimed.

"Hmmm…okay" Lapis resigned and the two of them went into the bathroom, leaving the rest of the gems and Lion to clean up the mess.

* * *

"Alright. What is the first thing required for the cleaning process?" Peridot asked as she brought up her holo-pad.

"We have to turn on the faucet to pour the water, but it has to be warm" Steven explained.

"Why warm?"

"Warm water feels gooood" he extenuated as he was set down on the red rug.

"That and if it's too hot it could burn him. Too cold and it'll chill him" Lapis clarified.

"Interesting…who knew that the internal temperature of a human or any organic creature could fluctuate so easily by outside forces" Peridot commented.

"Hey, I just thought of something. Can you guys feel temperature changes too?" he asked.

"We can, but it marginally affects us. It would have to be on the extreme spectrum in order to disrupt our physical forms" Peridot explained with a smile and pictures. It always puffed up her chest so to speak to be the bearer of knowledge.

Lapis grabbed the cream-colored drain plug and put it in the hole. Then she turned the singular, silver-colored knob so it was in between the blue and red temperature lines (leaning a bit towards the red). Soon the clear element gushed out of the facet head.

"And where does the water come from?" she asked.

"Uhhh…good question. I don't know. Maybe it comes from Pearl's room" Steven guessed.

"Hmm…yes. That does make sense, but further exploration is necessary" she deemed.

"Let's not tear the house apart okay?" Lapis cautioned as she placed her hand in the water to make sure it was the adequate temperature.

"Oh wait! We need bubbles!" Steven said as he went to the cabinet underneath the sink.

"_B-bubbles?"_ Lapis thought as she stopped swishing around in the water.

He used his mouth to grasp the doorknob and pulled the door open. "Aha!" he exclaimed when he found the red bottle with a smiling, red-circular creature on it. However, he was having a little trouble picking it up with his paws since he didn't have thumbs.

"C'mon now…" he grunted but the bottle fell to the floor. The small sound startled the gems.

Peridot incredulously looked at the red container and demanded, "How do bubbles aid in getting you clean?!" as a visual of Steven inside a floating sphere passed through her head.

"Huh? What?" Steven stuttered as he was startled by her frantic tone. When he closed the cabinet door, he saw the green gem's wide-eyed, horrified look. Then he looked over at Lapis. Although it was minimal, he noticed that her entire body was shuddering.

At first Steven was baffled by their expressions, until it clicked in his head. "Nonononono! These aren't like **those** bubbles. On Earth, we use bubbles and soap to clean ourselves" he quickly explained and they relaxed.

Lapis internally chided herself; he already explained it to her before. Why did it still bother her?

"How bizarre" Peridot commented as he finally picked up bottle in his mouth.

"Lapsh, cun yuff ur thsh plze?" he tried to articulate through his stuffed mouth.

The sight of his cute face banished those anxiety-filled thoughts and she replied, "Of course" as she took the bottle out of his mouth. She squeezed some of the pinkish liquid into the water and soon enough dozens upon dozens of little bubble forms on top of the water's surface. Steven gazed at the sight with starry eyes and wagged his tail.

"Alright Steven, the water is perfect" Lapis said as she turned off the facet.

"Alright!" he declared as she picked him up and gently placed him in the water.

"Oooooo…feels goooood" he lazily articulated. Then he splashed around for a bit, swiping at the bubble mounds before grabbing a handful and putting them around his muzzle.

"Check it out! I have a bubble bea-a-ACHOO!" The suds tickled his nose and he ended up sneezing his beard off.

"Awww…" he whined whereas the blue gem chuckled and said, "I think you look better without it." Steven smiled in response.

Lapis reached in the wire basket hanging from the shower head and grabbed a white bottle with a blue top spout.

"What is that?" Peridot asked as she crouched down next to Lapis. "It's called shampoo. It's a special kind of soap for hair" she explained as she handed her the bottle.

"Mane and Tail? How…appropriate. Given the situation" she commented.

"Yea! And this brand works on people and animals, so it perfect for me since I'm both" Steven explained as he closed his eyes.

"Why are you closing your eyes Steven?" she asked as Lapis squeezed the milky-white substance onto his mane and body.

"The soap stings his eyes if it gets into them" Lapis said as she worked up a lather.

"What?! So it's toxic?!"

"No, no. His eyes are sensitive. It's no different if someone pokes you in the eye or if you get dirt in it."

"…Oh. How do know what to do so much with these…earth substances?"

"I ask questions, just like you're doing, and then I do it myself. And I've had **plenty** of practice with this as we were taking care of him after his battle with Jasper. And I'm thankful that everyone has been patient with me as I learn. I know it's not the same back on home world" Lapis explained.

Peridot hummed in agreement at that notion. Back on home world, you were born with your assignment and all the knowledge needed to complete that task. Except in her case. Not only was she an oddity physically but her thirst for knowledge and curiosity was beyond all comprehension as far as what being a typical Peridot was all about. She was taken out of her thoughts when they heard a low rumble coming from his throat.

"You like that Steven?" Lapis smiled and the cub merely nodded in contentment.

Peridot looked at her floating digits, then at Lapis' hands as they massaged his body. _"…I wish I had __**normal **__fingers"_ she thought and sighed, but got rid of those despairing thoughts. Steven said that they were cool and that was good enough for her.

Unbeknownst to her, Steven's ears perked up when she let loose that dispirited exhale.

"Okay Steven, time to rinse!"

"Alright!" he cheered.

Peridot raised an eyebrow up in confusion when she noticed Lapis moving her arms. "What're you doing?" she asked.

"Waterfall!" Steven exclaimed.

"Waterfall?!"

And sure enough a long stream of water came gently cascading down on top of the suds-covered cub. "PBBBBBBTH Hahaha!" Steven sputtered as he shook the water off of his head so he could see.

"Time for the sphere!" Lapis playfully declared.

At this point Peridot decided to keep her mouth shut and just observe.

Soon a swirling water orb surrounded Steven's body, leaving his head un-submerged so he could breathe. But he might have a hard time doing that basic function if he didn't stop laughing so hard.

"What're you doing to him?!"

"Deep cleaning" Lapis simply replied. Soon the water sphere started to get murkier. "Sometimes scrubbing doesn't get all the dirt and whatever else off. Not to mention his body is covered in fur. Who knows what's trapped underneath all that fluff."

"Yea! And it tickles too! You should try it Peri!" he squealed.

"I'll pass" she flatly replied and soon the spin cycle was done.

"Peridot? Can you open the lid of the toilet please?" Lapis asked and the green gem complied with her request. Once it was open, Lapis removed the sphere from around Steven's body, gently dropping him back into the tub so he could romp around some more, and deposited the darkened water into the toilet bowl.

"You can flush it" she said and Peridot did just that, especially since it smelled really funky.

"_Jeez, what on Earth was on him?!"_ she thought as the last of the stinky water went down the hole.

"Am I good guys?" he asked after shaking off most of the excess water.

Lapis chuckled at the spiky haired cub and said, "You're **always** good."

She helped him out of the tub and pulled the plug so the rest of the water could drain out. Then she placed the shampoo back in the wire basket and grabbed a matching white bottle.

"He still needs more shampoo?" Peridot asked.

"Nope, shampooing's all done. This is conditioner. It locks in moisture to keep my hair nice and hydrated, like a flower!" he explained as Lapis rubbed a generous amount of conditioner onto his body and curly mane.

Once he was all moisturized, Lapis said "Let's get you dry." Just before she could flick her wrist and bend the water off of him, Steven held up his paw and stopped her.

"Hold on Lapis, I have another idea. Peridot?"

"Yes?" she answered as she straightened in attention.

"Can you spin your fingers around in a circle to create some wind and blow dry me off please?" he asked.

Lapis was a bit confused by his request; if she used her powers he would be bone dry in seconds. But when she saw the small smile on Peridot's lit up face, that's when everything made sense. _"He wants her to help out too so she doesn't feel left out"_ she realized.

Little diamonds appeared in the green gem's eyes and she replied, "Of course I can! I can even generate heat with my electricity!"

"Don't shock him Peridot" Lapis warned.

She rolled her eyes and said, "I won't. What I meant was that my electrical discharge can create heat waves so it can be warm for him."

She pressed a series of button on her right arm attachment before pointing at him. "Okay…here goes" and soon the floating fingers started spinning around like a windmill and blew a comforting current of air across the little cub's body.

"Hmmmm…that feels gooood" he lazily said as he closed his eyes.

Lapis felt the same way as she sat down behind him and let the warm breeze flow over her. But before the warm wind lulled her sleep, she snapped out of it when Peridot uttered, "Ahem."

She sheepishly smiled before grabbing the faux tortoiseshell brush with white, soft bristles and the red comb off of the bath room counter.

"Steven, I'm gonna brush and comb your hair now, okay?" she asked.

"Mm hm. Guess I can finally put that comb to use" he commented. The rounded ends of the comb massaged Steven's skin as it went through his surprisingly un-tangled mane and fur.

"OO!" he squeaked as she ran over his left shoulder blade.

Lapis suddenly jerked the comb off of him and Peridot quickly stopped the warm flow of air.

"I'm sorry Steven! Are you okay?!" Lapis frantically asked.

"Oh yea, I'm fine! Can you actually…um…run the comb back and forth over that spot please?"

"R-right here?" she asked as she placed the teeth of the comb back on the area and slowly moved it up and down.

"Oooo yea yea! That's the spot…" he acknowledged as he hunched his back a little higher to really dig into it. "That…feels…amazing…" he happily sighed as his tongue hung out and his right hind foot started to involuntarily thump the floor.

"Is…is that normal? Wait. Why am I even asking? Nothing about this is normal!" Peridot exasperated.

"Well…it feels good to him so isn't that what matters?" she countered.

Peridot blinked a couple of times. She looked at her limb enhancers, then back at the completely relaxed child.

"I guess so" she quietly replied as she turned her fingers back into a heat fan. She kept moving around them so she could get all around Steven's body while Lapis switched to brushing him.

"Alright, Steven. All done!" she declared and Peridot stopped the warm breeze.

"Cool! Can I see?" he asked and Lapis picked him up so he could see himself in the mirror. "Awesome! It looks like I'm in guard point!" he commented when he beheld his super puffy body.

"Guard point?" Peridot asked.

"Yea! There's this reindeer that can transform into different forms and one of'em turns him into this giant fur ball called guard point! It protects-"

"Forget I asked" Peridot sighed when she held her hand up, cutting him off.

"Well, it doesn't change the fact that you're soooo soft!" she exclaimed as she held him close to her face. "I could just live in your fur if that were possible" she commented, but Steven wasn't feeling it at all.

"Lapis…can't…breathe…" and she immediately put him back on the floor.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" she profusely apologized as she crouched down next to the gasping cub.

"**cough** It's okay, I'm used to it" he replied as he got some air back into his lungs. "But thanks for cleaning me up Lapis. I really appreciate it" Steven said with a wide smile.

She chuckled and replied, "You're very welcome. I'll do **anything** for you" as she patted his puffy mane.

Then he went over and placed his front paws on Peridot's metallic left leg. "And thank you too Peri!" he smiled.

The green gem copied the same facial expression and he moved back a little so she could sit down on the floor as well. Since she couldn't pick him up or touch him without causing him discomfort, Steven decided to nuzzle his body against hers. Lion always did that to him and it felt good.

"W-what're yo-" but her questioning was cut off when she saw Lapis hold a finger to her lips, shushing her.

Peridot quirked an eyebrow in confusion until both of her eyes went wide when she heard that familiar rumble emanate from his body. "…Heh. Hehehahaheuoooo" she childishly giggled and soon her gem responded to her giddy aura with a very faint glow.

Lapis couldn't help but smile at the scene taking place.

Steven stopped rubbing against her and placed his front paws on her chest; Peridot's glow immediately stopped.

"Wh-what?" she asked.

"I like your laugh! It's cute" he exclaimed with starry eyes, causing her to blush.

"He's right y'know. You should do it more often" Lapis added.

At this point her whole face was a darker shade of green. "Ahem. Yes…well…this is the normal reaction to these kinds of scenarios. And it did feel…**most adequate**. So I suppose this reaction will have to be experienced more in the near future. And Lazuli, thank you for showing and teaching me this complicated ritual known as a bath." she articulated.

"You're welcome" she smiled.

"Mm hm! C'mon, let's go see if they're done cleaning" Steven said he walked toward the door.

"Knowing Pearl, she probably had that mess cleaned up as soon as Lazuli turned on the water" Peridot commented as all of them left the bathroom.

* * *

And sure enough Pearl was still on the floor with a soiled grey rag, trying to clean up every single last speck of blood.

Garnet, Amethyst and Jasper were sitting on the couch whereas Lion was laying down next to the fire place. The area was literally sparkling and it smelled like lemons.

Lapis and Peridot looked over at the rest of gems, silently asking what was going on.

"She just…did it" Jasper said.

"Yea, Pearlnado struck big time. She cleaned the whole house in like two seconds flat" Amethyst added.

"Well…she does enjoy doing these kinds of things. But that aside, you two did a great job cleaning up Steven" Garnet commended when she saw the puffy cub rub his body underneath Lion's chin.

Lapis and Peridot smiled from the compliment as Steven hopped onto Amethyst lap.

"Dang Steven, you're so fluffy! I could fall asleep on you!" Amethyst said.

"Really? S-Steven…can I?" Jasper hesitantly asked.

Steven looked at her for a brief moment before crawling onto her lap and sitting on his haunches. She gingerly placed her massive hand on his tiny body. "Amethyst wasn't kidding. Your fur is probably the softest thing I've ever felt in my life" she marveled as she stroked him.

"I dunno about that. You and Amethyst's hair is pretty soft too. It could be even softer with conditioner" Steven suggested.

"Conditioner?" she repeated.

"Yea! Lapis could do it for you, she's really good!" he proclaimed.

The buff gem looked at her. She was looking at Peridot's screen while explaining something to her.

"…We'll see" she said.

And last but not least, he climbed on top of Garnet's sculpted thighs placed his front paws on her chest. "Look Garnet, I have an afro like you! Only it's circular instead of square" he said.

"And just as bouncy too" she chuckled as she stroked his head, then shifted her hand over the "good" spot on his shoulder, eliciting the same response in the bathroom.

"Oooo…I know your weak point!" Amethyst said. But before she could do anything, Steven giggled and scampered away back under Lion's head.

"Base! Lion's base!" he said before hiding in his mane without actually going in it.

Amethyst snapped her fingers in defeat and said, "Alright, fine. But you can't stay under there forever! I'll get you!"

That made Steven dig deeper into Lion's wispy locks and she earned another death glare from him.

"Kidding! I'm kidding!" Amethyst said while holding up her hands.

"There! All clean and disinfected!" Pearl declared, focusing everyone's attention on her as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead.

"Excellent job Pearl" Garnet said and Pearl blushed from the compliment.

"Thank you" she replied, but her gaze soon shifted to the little cub being smothered by Lion. "Oh Steven! You look absolutely adorable!" she exclaimed with multiple diamonds in her eyes. Before she could even get within twelve inches of them, Lion hissed at her after getting a big whiff of her new…pungent scent.

"Oh what now?!" she exasperated.

"Dude…**you stink**" Amethyst flatly answered.

"Oh…right. Be right back" and she quickly disappeared into her room. A second later she came out all cleaned up and a little shinier as well. "Ah…much better" she sighed.

"I'll say" Amethyst commented.

"So…can I hold Steven, please?" she asked Lion as she crouched down in front of him. He slowly exhaled through his nose and lifted his head up off of his little brother.

Steven stared at her before looking at the ground. Then he cautiously approached her.

Pearl picked up on his hesitation as did everyone else in the room. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to keep those encroaching, malicious thoughts at bay. To bolster whatever confidence he had left towards her, she held her arms out and gave him a reassuring smile.

Taking that as a sign to advance, Steven jumped into Pearl's awaiting arms. She cradled him as close as physically possible to her body. A few moments later, he was squirming to get out of her hold. She released him and he ran back to Lion without saying a word.

She dejectedly sighed. She knew this was a possibility, but it still didn't make it easier to accept it. This was going to be a long journey for her and she knew that. But she tried by saying, "Your fur really is soft. It's almost like laying on a cloud."

"…Mm hm" he muttered without making eye contact with her. Then he barely whispered something that Pearl couldn't pick up.

"What?" she gently asked.

"I said I'm sorry if I got hair on you. I know you like to be clean and-"

"Steven" she said as his consideration touched her deeply. "It's okay, I don't mind, really" she assured.

"You sure?"

"Positive" she kindly replied. "That being said…can I hold you again? Please?"

His approach wasn't as hesitant as it was before, but there was still some reluctance in his steps. Regardless, he jumped into her awaiting arms and nuzzled his face against hers.

"…_Thank you"_ she thought as she let him go. Not only for the embrace, but for actually giving her another chance because, as she well knows, words mean nothing unless they're backed up with action.

"Oh, I almost forgot! We brought you back something" she sing-songed.

After doing her special summoning dance, a glowing white orb materialized out of her gem. Soon it morphed into a massive, beautiful feather that shone with all the colors of the rainbow in the shimmering sun.

"Whoooooaaaaa…." he marveled with starry eyes whereas Lion huffed in annoyance.

"_And she got mad at me for bringing home the remains of a fallen animal? Hypocrite…"_ he thought.

"What kind of bird did that come from? It kinda reminds me of one of Ho-oh's feathers" he said.

"What's…nope never mind. Forget it" Peridot caught herself.

"Then I'll ask, what in the world is a Ho-oh?" Pearl followed up.

"It's legendary firebird whose feathers shine with all the colors of the rainbow. And it's said that if a person sees Ho-oh that they'll have good luck for the rest of their life" Steven explained.

"Whoaaa…Is there really such a creature on Earth?" Perdiot asked.

"Wha? No no, it's not real. It's from a video game that I really need to beat" Steven explained.

"…Of course it is" she flatly stated as her enthusiastic smile faded away. She still had no idea what video games were, but she surmised it was an alternate, imaginary reality.

"Well…I don't know if this feather is lucky or not, but it's great for tickling!" Amethyst announced as she grabbed the feather out of Pearl's grasp and started rubbing underneath Steven's belly. He immediately fell onto his back, trying to use his back claws to get the tickling object off of his sensitive tummy.

"A-A-Amethyst!" he gasped out as little tears formed in the corners of his eyes from laughing so hard. After a couple of friendly, tortuous moments (and another warning glare from Lion), Amethyst relented and Steven finally got some air back into his lungs.

She doubled over and laughed her head off as she said, "Told you I'd get you!"

But her celebration was cut short when she yelped as something swiftly pulled her to the ground by her hair. Before she could even comprehend what just happened, she felt Steven's little body on top of her…pinning her again.

"W-what?! How'd-"

"I got skills" he smugly replied and everyone chuckled at the scene, especially Lion even though it came out as a stuttering growl.

"Heh, yea. True dat" she acknowledged as he got up off of her.

"…Anyway" Pearl cleared her throat as she snatched the feather back and delicately placed it on the table. "To answer your earlier question, we found this feather deep inside of a dormant volcano. Peridot was trying to find a way to enhance the strength of the gem-cutting lasers and Garnet remembered that there used to be a fire crystal quarry here on Earth. Home world would gather those types of crystals for lasers and other aircraft weapons. That was the mission we went on yesterday."

"Did you guys find any?" he asked.

"We did, fortunately" Garnet answered.

"Indeed. We were about to give up the search in the abandoned facility until we found three of them in the most unusual location" Perdiot added.

"Why was the location unusual?"

"They were inside of what looked like a large nest made of hardened lava on the outside of the volcano. The crystals themselves looked like a slightly bigger version of those eggs in your refrigerator" Lapis explained.

Steven gasped as stars appeared in his eyes.

"Steven, I know what you're thinking and no. They were indeed crystals" Pearl concluded.

"But how did they get there?" he asked.

"Don't know bud, but I wish we'd of seen'em earlier. Would've saved us from doing a whole lotta digging" Amethyst answered.

"…And a lot of bad jokes too" Jasper muttered.

"Oh yea…that too" Amethyst agreed.

"What're you guys talking about?" Steven asked.

"In order speed up the digging process, Pearl and Garnet fused into Sardonyx and used their weapon to drill into the Earth's crust" Peridot explained.

"What?! You guys fused and I missed it!? Aw man!" Steven whined.

"Well to be fair, we missed you transforming into a lion for the first time. We only knew about it when we came to check on you last night" Lapis pointed out.

"Yea I guess that's true" he agreed.

"**Trust me bud**, you didn't miss anything" Amethyst extenuated, causing Pearl to puff out her cheeks in annoyance.

But another thought came to Steven's mind. "Wait...last night? Were you guys watching me sleep again?" he asked, more so insinuating towards Pearl.

She blushed and quickly defended, "No! Well…yes. Kinda. But that was because Lion wasn't around this morning! Not to say we waiting for him to leave so we could watch you but-"

"What Pearl is trying to say is that we were watching over you because it seemed like Lion had an important errand to run. We wanted to make sure your new form was stable and that the whole 'cat fingers' incident didn't repeat itself" Garnet explained, cutting off Pearl's rambling explanation.

"Oh" he replied.

"That being said, let me show you how to change back" Garnet stated as she got off the couch.

"It's okay, I know how to change back" he said.

Everyone looked at him with confused looks. "Then…why haven't you changed back?" Jasper asked.

"I wished that I could be a lion **for a day** and I guess my gem held onto that last specific detail. So I should be able to turn back to normal in" he glanced at the clock. It was a quarter past eight. "About half an hour. That's when I transformed…more or less" he explained.

"I see. Well then, we'll stay until that time comes" Garnet decided.

"You don't have to do that! I know you guys are busy with those clusters and"

"Steven, right now and forever **you** are the only thing that matters to us" Garnet firmly stated and everyone nodded at that notion.

He sniffed and said, "…Thanks guys."

"Besides, I want to hear about your transformation" she added.

"Indeed. Did it hurt? And why did you choose to be a miniature version of Lion?" Peridot asked.

"Yea? Why not a tiger?" asked Jasper; Lion growled at her for that conceited question.

"No it didn't hurt. In fact…I barely felt the change. And I just wanted to be lion, to feel what it was like" he explained. He left out the more unpleasant reasons for his transformation. They were already worried about the safety about the entire Earth as well as their own minds. He didn't want to top it off with his own distressed state of mind.

Garnet hummed, then asked, "Was it everything that you thought it would be?"

Steven was quiet as he contemplated his answer. He stared at his confidant for moment, then said, "No…it wasn't."

Needless to say it baffled the minds of the rest of his family.

Then he walked over to Lion and smiled. "It was **way** better than I thought it would be" he clarified. Lion smiled and licked his face before going on into a full on nuzzling session, causing Steven to purr again.

Pearl and Lapis each released a long "awwww" whereas Garnet and Amethyst sported some big grins. Jasper rested her head in her left hand, trying to decipher what he meant, but decided that it wasn't important and showed a small smile of her own. Peridot on the other hand quirked an eyebrow up, still trying to understand what he meant and continued making observational notes.

Soon the intimate caresses stopped and Steven climbed on top of Lion and sat on his soft mane.

"Sounds like there's a story comin' up" Amethyst guessed.

"Yes, what did you two do yesterday?" Peridot asked.

Steven took a deep breath and began the tale of his epic adventure.

* * *

He began with Lion taking him to this amazing valley and being taught how to walk and run, even though wasn't as easy as it looked. Everyone chuckled at the visual picture he painted.

Then he went onto Lion's origins and as to why he was kept a secret.

"W-what? B-but I wouldn't of-" but Lion huffed at her innocent notion about how Pearl wouldn't have bothered him.

"Yes you would've" Garnet vocalized. "We were still exploring the outside world while simultaneously cutting ourselves off from human society…to a certain extent anyway. Besides, don't you remember how much time you invested watching those cranes that one summer? Or chasing those flamingos?"

Pearl blushed then kicked at the ground.

"Rose knew more about us that we would ever admit" Garnet finished.

"True dat" Amethyst agreed.

Steven then shifted into the origins of some of the animals that lived there. Everyone's eyes got wide with this startling revelation.

"So…did you guys know about that?" he asked.

"No…I didn't" Pearl said, her mind still trying comprehend what she just heard.

"…Peridot?" he said.

"There's no mention of it in any of my files" she said.

"Not surprising. In addition to losing on Earth, for whatever reason the diamonds absolutely **hated** organic life. In Yellow's eyes, she would rather have this planet be erased permanently and have it's particles sucked into a black hole" Jasper explained.

"Why don't the diamonds like organic life?" he asked.

"I don't know and no one really cared to ask. If there's one thing they did right, in a sense, was instilling confidence in us that we were superior to all life forms" Jasper answered.

"Oh. Well…either way I was just glad to find out that I'm not the only hybrid around anymore…that I had someone who I could **really** relate to. And it just so happened to be my big brother too" he said as he looked down at Lion.

"…I relate to you. _More than you know_" Amethyst quietly said.

"We all do. I know you're a different specie Steven, the first of your kind. We don't know what you need, but…it doesn't stop us from trying to understand you. Just like you try and understand us through different ways. But your greatest strength is your compassion. You molded us just as much as we molded you. Like you said, you're a soup" Garnet finished.

Everyone else nodded in agreement with that and Steven smiled at them. He took a deep breath to collect his thoughts before tears of gratitude threatened to spill.

He went onto the delicious water he drank, him scratching trees and why Lion does it sometimes on the pillars supporting the house, and the hunting lesson.

"And you're absolutely positive that you feel okay?" Pearl asked.

"Yep! In fact it tasted like a burger but a billion times better!" he explained.

"Yep, definitely got to try it. Hey Lion, hook me up with some one day alright?" Amethyst asked and Lion gave her a sideways glance before nodding his head.

Then he went into the fight with the buffalo-hyena gem and how he defeated it. "And that's what we did yesterday" he finished while everyone stared at him with wide eyes, completely flabbergasted by the battle he fought and the damage Lion sustained.

"Dang…we **really** missed something alright" Amethyst finally said.

"I'm just glad you're okay!" Pearl said as some of the color returned to her skin.

Jasper's shocked countenance morphed into a proud smile as she marveled with diamonds in her eyes, "Wow…well done **my little cub**" as she gingerly ruffled his curly mane.

"**Now** I understand why Lion was protective of you. I would be too after something like. Then again…I guess I was after **that** fight" Lapis commented.

"But it's fascinating and impressive how your powers were able to conform to your new form as well. What did you call them again?" Peridot asked.

"Katars. They're like my knuckle busters but with claws. There's a character in one of the fighting game at Funland Arcade that uses'em" Steven explained and Peridot typed that down…except the arcade part.

"Hey Peridot? Why are you taking so many notes?" he asked.

"How else am I supposed to remember all of the strange rituals and inner workings of this planet?" she replied.

"Not about Earth, but about **me**?" he clarified.

"Like I said, I'm here purely for observational purposes."

"…_Sure you are"_ was the collective thought of the rest of the pure gems before she continued on.

"If nothing else, you intrigue me. You being a diamond/human yet **not** a diamond. All of these displays of unknown powers. Making me…feel things I've never felt before with Yellow. How could I not be curious? Not to mention…I need to know how to properly take of you if the need ever arises" she quietly added as her cheeks got a little bit darker.

"_There we go"_ everyone thought again.

Steven smiled at that, then looked up at the clock. "Wow, time sure does fly by. Alright…let's do this. Gem, I want to be human me again please?"

A moment later, Steven's body was engulfed in a faint, pink aura. Slowly but surely his feline form morphed back into a human one. His paws turned back into fingers, his fur disappeared leaving behind his pinkish skin, and his teeth returned to their proper dentition.

It was interesting to watch to say the least and Peridot made sure to record every second of it. It took a couple of minutes for everything to return to normal. He slowly opened his eyes to see everyone with proud and relieved smiles on their faces.

"You did it!" Garnet praised.

He lifted his two slightly muscular hands up and flexed them. Then he turned around to see his bare bottom without a tail.

"WOO HOO! I did it! Another level up!" he exclaimed, until he noticed Peridot quizzically look at him with her holo-pad.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Where…where are your appearance modifiers? They didn't meld to your body when you transformed? Is that…what you **really** look like?" she spouted off.

"Huh? Appearance modifiers?" he questioned.

"Yes! The one with the multi-colored star" she clarified.

That's when he realized she meant clothes. Thankfully he was still on top of Lion's upper back and his mane covered the front part of his body. He was **not** going to explain that part of his human anatomy. Thankfully that part was covered up by fur while he was a cub.

"Pearl, can you-"

"Here you are" she said as she presented him his red/yellow trimmed tank top with a yellow star, khaki pants and clean underwear.

"Are all of my red and white shirts dirty already? And my blue pants too?" he asked.

"Well…maybe" Pearl replied twiddling her fingers.

"Like I said, Pearlnado struck **hard**" Amethyst repeated.

"Yea, she took all of your clothes and put them in the device called a washing machine, to make sure they weren't contaminated" Jasper explained.

"Why didn't you wash these?" he asked.

"…Those were the only weather appropriate clothes you had in your upper closet so I figured they were safe to keep clean" Pearl explained as she tried her hardest to banish the embarrassed blush on her face.

Steven still smiled at her, grateful for thought behind the action (even if it was a bit excessive).

"Thank you Pearl. Now…can everyone close your eyes please?" he asked.

"What? Why?" Peridot asked. He was afraid she would say that.

"Well…y'see…" his articulation becoming quieter with each syllable as the crimson blush on his cheeks increased in size.

"Aw c'mon dude. It's no big deal. We've seen you bare before" Amethyst commented.

As soon as she said that, that's when everything clicked in Peridot's mind.

"It doesn't matter. We need to make him feel comfortable, so everyone close your eyes now" Garnet commanded.

Now that everyone's eyes were shut (Peridot's a little too tight; it looked like she was in pain), he got off of Lion and quickly put his clothes on.

"Okay guys, you can open your eyes now" he announced and everyone followed his command.

"Glad to have you back…well back to being human anyway" Jasper said.

"Yes. I'll like any form you take but this one will always be my favorite" Lapis smiled.

He grinned at that, but it turned into a sigh. "…I guess you guys gotta go find the rest of those clusters now huh?"

"Yes…we do" Garnet regretfully replied.

"And we need to take the fire crystals to the boiling lava lake so they can absorb the heat and be recharged. The lava pit inside the temple isn't deep enough. Not to mention, when they're fully charged they unleash a little eruption." Peridot added.

Steven understood and ran up to everyone and gave them a hug, with Lapis' lasting a little bit longer.

"Be careful" he said to everyone.

"We will" Lapis replied.

"Soon this little distraction will be taken care of and everything can go back to normal" Pearl declared as everyone walked to the warp pad.

"See ya tonight Ste-man" Amethyst said before all of them disappeared in the stream of light, leaving him and Lion alone once again.

* * *

The boy sighed and said, "Or at least be peaceful again…it can't go back to **normal**."

Lion growled and Steven turned to face him.

"…I can't hear you?! Well, not in English anymore. I guess I can only understand you if I'm a lion. I can change back" he suggested but Lion shook his head no.

Instead he got up and put his paw on top of his head, then took it off and pointed at his lips.

"Head? Lips…?" It took a minute for him to put two and two together until he asked, "You're wondering why I didn't tell them about the dream or the voice that told you not to attack Jasper?"

Lion just nodded twice so he safely assumed he meant both.

"Well…I didn't tell them about you because I didn't want them to blame you for me getting hurt."

Lion closed his eyes and nuzzled against his head, silently thanking him for his kind consideration. "Your welcome bud" he replied as he petted him.

When he ceased his caresses, he finished, "And I didn't tell them about the dream because they already have enough on their plate. I don't need them worrying about me more than they already do. I've beaten these thoughts before and I can do it again. It's just annoying to hear them so often! And now I can't help but wonder if that voice that talked to you was just one of those stinkin' thinkin' thoughts!"

Lion shook his head as he huffed at that statement; he semi-glared at him.

"I know, I know! Argh! It's so confusing and frustrating! There's just too much going on right now! Dark Stevonnie, the cluster, training…if I can even do it, and being the leader that everyone **expects**. And I want to help, but it feels like I'm second guessing myself on everything now!" he yelled as he laid on the floor.

He sighed while Lion stood over him. "…**Now** I understand why they can't talk about certain things. It's hard" he realized. _"Still…there has to be an answer to all this"_ he silently pondered.

Then he quickly sat up, almost hitting Lion in the chin. "Why didn't I think of this before?! The spring! I mean I know I'm the spring in a way, but that spring is supposed to be used by the diamonds! Lion, can you take me back please?" he pleaded.

Lion looked at him through narrowed eyes as he contemplated his command, before slowly nodding his head.

"Thank you Lion! Thank you" he said as he hugged him. "Just let me use the bathroom and get some snacks. I know I'll be hungry after I wake up. Hopefully it won't be three days again."

With that he brushed his teeth and did his thing in the bathroom. Then got his cheeseburger backpack, jacket, red sandals, and a red-star patterned towel out of the newly organized closet.

"_Wow…they weren't kidding"_ he thought when he saw the pristine condition of his downstairs closet. He stuffed the items into each respective pocket, closed the closet door and went over to the kitchen area to grab whatever was left in the refrigerator.

He got some durian juice boxes, a couple of apples, and made two peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches. He also took out his cookie-cat shaped ice pack out of the freezer so everything would stay cold, just in case was gone longer.

As he was gathering supplies, Lion kept scratching the inside of his ear and shaking his head, as if he was trying to get something out; but to no avail.

"_Guess all that talk about healthy eating is starting to sink in"_ Steven thought as he put his backpack on.

Before he left the kitchen area, he climbed on top of the counter and grabbed a couple of caramel/chocolate covered flat pretzels from the cabinet. _"…Almost. Plus __Dr. Maheswaran__ did say "moderate not eliminate."_ he thought again as he sealed his backpack up for good this time.

"Alright Lion, I'm ready." Lion crouched down so he could climb on top of his back.

"Oh wait!" He reached into Lion's mane and pulled out the bubble that had the leftover donuts in it. He got off his back and walked over to the counter. He popped the bubble and left the bag there. _"Amethyst can have'em"_ he thought as he wrote a little note saying he was going with Lion for a while.

He got back on his bud and said, "Now I'm ready. Let's go!" Lion lowly growled in agreement before unleashing his warp roar. They jumped through the portal and traveled down the diamond dusted highway.

* * *

The duo emerged in a completely shaded area similar to that of the ash tree grove in the emerald valley. But there was nothing mystical nor comforting about an area surrounded by massive thick bramble vines and thorns. Even the sliver streams of sunlight that managed to penetrate the prickly enclosure looked like they were exhausted as they were trying to nourish the grassy carpet beneath their feet.

But it still astonished the young boy to see a new area.

"Whooooaaaa…" he marveled as Lion lowered himself so he could get off. "Lion…what is this place? I mean, I remember it being really hot the last time we went and this place is kinda chilly. Good thing I brought my jacket" he commented as he took out his red hoodie and put it on. "Is this a different spring?"

Lion stared at him again through narrowed eyes, then suddenly they started to glow.

"L-Lion? What's going on? What're you doing?"

All his companion did was kneel before him and his mane started to move around without any wind to stimulate such an action. Steven cautiously poked his hand through his mane, wondering what hidden item was needed for this area. Instead he pulled out a familiar, hand crafted object.

"My guitar? Why do I need my-"

But his question was cut off when Lion unleashed another warp roar, creating a portal high in the air.

"Lion! What're you doing!?" the confused child asked.

But Lion just stared at him before giving him a quick lick on his forehead before jumping into the warp stream.

"LION! WAIT!" he yelled but the only listeners to his helpless plea were the thousands of thorny vines encapsulating the area.

"LIOOOOON!" he yelled again, but silence was his answer.

Steven threw his arms up in exasperation and said, "What the flip?! Why'd he leave alone?!" He huffed and stomped around for a bit before his mind cooled down. Then he touched his forehead, still damp with Lion's spit.

"This doesn't make any sense! Why lick me if he was going to ditch me? That's not like him at all."

Then it dawned on him, "Unless…he **didn't** want to leave me alone, but he had to! Maybe it's some kind of test, only this one is **real**" as he remembered the dungeons that Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl set up for him.

"But why would he leave me the guitar and not the sword? I could slash through these vines no problem…but maybe I don't have to."

He set his things down and focused on his gem power, summoning his knuckle busters. He charged towards a random spot on the enclosure, but before he even got within three inches, a giant vine shot out of the wall right towards him.

"AHHH!"

Thankfully his busters morphed back into shields and he was able to deflect the blow. But it didn't stop the pain he felt when he landed on his back.

"Owww…that didn't work" he said as he rubbed his head. "What am I going to do now?" he thought as he watched the agitated, slithering vine – which surprisingly didn't continue its assault. It was almost as if it was watching him. Realizing that he wasn't in immediate danger, Steven backed up and sat on the plush carpet.

"Okay…need to think." As he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Lion brought me here…so it must be one of mom's secret places. Then these are her plants and they're meant to fight…ooooh. So I just made it mad. I need to calm it down."

That's when the light bulb went off.

"That's why he left me the guitar! It's just like being a snake charmer! I don't have to fight my way through!"

With that revelation, he put his backpack back on and picked up his guitar. He warily approached the slithering vine and said, "Mr. Vine, I'm sorry I attacked you. I understand now that you were just doing your job and protecting this place."

The thorn covered plant stopped moving and slowly got up in Steven's personal space, but he didn't flinch. It was almost as if it was examining him and the sincerity of his words. It spiked up a bit when Steven shifted his guitar in his grasp to hold it properly and started strumming a simple yet powerful melody.

"I know my mom made you guys to protect whatever's on the other side, but I need to get there. Can I go through please?" Soon a faint glow emanated from his gem.

In response to the reassuring aura, the thorns on the vines turned back into harmless little buds before the vine itself receded back into the wall. Like a key unlocking a mechanism, the vines morphed and moved around, creating a large archway, allowing ample sunlight to coat the once shadowed area.

"Thank you" he smiled as he walked through the opening.

The musical notes continued to echo throughout the illuminated area as the vines parted for the new heir of the hidden grove.

Unbeknownst to him, they were simultaneously closing behind him, sealing him in the sanctuary until he received the help he desired. But he would only get it if his mind was **willing** to receive it.

* * *

**What answers and new secrets will be revealed in this hidden area? Stay tuned for part 4 of "One on One." **

**Gotta love the fluff! I based it off of my own pets and how I would lovingly mess with them. Did you guys get the pun Amethyst made? ;).  
**

**I figured that Lapis would be the most clingy to him not only because he's adorable but also because she hasn't had any comforting physical contact for a _really_ long time and when she was freed from the mirror, she was treated like a rag doll back on home world. So he inadvertently became a therapy animal...more or less. **

**And of course our lovable Peridot is trying her best, albeit a little too hard.**

**Pearl and Jasper still have a ways to go. And Lion will chill...eventually.**

**I tried to type out the happy laugh Peridot had in "It could've been great". Same thing with Pearl's indiscernible sounds from the Uncle Grandpa cross-over.**

**And Mane and Tail is the name of an actual shampoo and conditioner and it works wonders for someone with thick hair like me. And I'm probably dating myself, but who else remembers Mr. Bubbles bubble bath?  
**

**We're about to meet some new characters and startling revelations so get ready!**

**And wow...over 500 followers...I don't know what to say except thank you. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I can't believe it's already my 1st anniversary since I posted my 1st story "Pent Up Feelings". Sure have come a long way. **

**Also...I know you guys have things going on in your lives as well, and I just wanted to say I'm grateful for all of you for making a little space in your torrent of thoughts for thinking of my well being as well.  
**

**I know one reader asked if I would post some writing advice so I'll start doing that from now on after every chapter. **

**For me, when I start writing I draw inspiration from other media(cartoons, literature, music, video games, etc.) and sometimes all it takes is one phrase or how a character looks to get things rolling. Like in chapter 29 with Dark Stevonnie how I drew from all those different sources, from Sonic and the Secret Rings to Pokemon XY. Or even here with the little One Piece reference(did ya see it?). Hope this helps out.**

**I don't own Steven Universe, Mane and Tail beauty products, or Pokemon. Just my imaginative capabilities.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Just wanted to say Happy One Year Anniversary! I can't believe it's already been a whole year since I started writing this story! Woo!**

* * *

"_Hey Mo? What's we gonna do?"_

"_What? What you mean what's we gonna do?"_

"_Yea Mo, I'm bored! So what's we gonna do?"_

"_Bored?! What's the matta with you? We just dun dug all the way to San Deijo for that con thing you wanted to go to so badly. How'd you even hear 'bout that anyway?" _

"_I saw it on one of those flat paper thingies when we's were in New Yark"_

"_Yea…New Yark. Good times. Anywayz, then all them humans, at least I think that's what they were, thought we was wearin' costumes and were friends of some green guy with a sword and a giant red bird."_

"_Well…we got in fo free."_

"_You lucky we did! You didn't tell me we had to pay with something called money. If we'd of wasted all that time digging I'd oughta…well whatevas. Point is we went there, had somethin' called ice cream cause it was free cone day, got on that Perris wheel contraption because they liked our bods and slept in some giant beach side house 'cause they thought we had no place to stay. Those bed things may be good for humans, but give me a burrow any day."_

"_At least them blankets wuz soft. And they gave us lots of fruit for breakfast. And we got to go to the con for the next two days."_

"_Yea, and we just got back home yesterdays! And now youz tellin' me you bored?! You crazy Curly. Just talkin' bout that trip is makin' me tired. You need to chill, like me."_

"_Aw c'mon Mo! That ain't no fun! So whatz we gonna do?"_

"_Grrr…there you go again. The same ol' line again! I oughta…!"_

"…_Mo? What's wrong?"_

"_Don't ya feel that? Them vines is movin'…and someone's steppin' on our turf!"_

"_What? That's impossible! Only us and Ro-Ro know 'bout this place and Ro-Ro dun been gone for a long time!"_

"_I know what I felt! C'mon, let's go check it out!"_

"_Well…at least we gets to do somethin'."_

* * *

The prickly barrier finished parting before the young lad, allowing him to enter the diverse landscape.

"Whoooooa" was all that Steven could utter as he stopped playing his captivating song.

Sunshine didn't have any issues penetrating the porous tree canopy as it showered the land with its nourishing glow. In addition to all the various moss covered trees, flowering rose bushes, and the sporadic occurrence of different colored giant mushrooms, the plush grass carpet was broken up by a long, singular red clay path. Upon closer inspection, it appeared as though no one had treaded upon it in years. There were little raised plateaus dispersed throughout the area, like hopping platforms that led to higher, hidden places. But the only place on his mind was finding that healing spring.

"Hm?!"

He turned around when he heard the slithering vines shift around behind him. They formed back into a giant fortress wall, sealing him inside the sacred grove until he achieved his goal.

"I guess there's no turning back now" he said as he put his guitar and his jacket in his backpack. He instinctively stepped on the red path and started walking on it, kicking up clay dust in his wake.

"_Alright, last time the spring was underground. Maybe…it's hidden in the trees"_ he thought as he looked at the blooming foliage. _"Hmmm! Sure smells nice! Kinda like roses and fruit punch"_ his deduced as his nose took in the fragrant scent.

"Mom sure did have a green thumb. Hmm…I wonder how my watermelon Stevens are doing. Hope they're doing alright and that they learned their lesson. Maybe I'll see'em again real soon" he said as he continued walking.

"_Spring….spring…where are you spring?_" he thought as he got off the path a couple of times to look within a group of trees, but nothing came up. He huffed in frustration and shouted, "Where could it be?!"

Once he calmed down a bit he thought, _"…Maybe I'm overthinking it. I mean, this **is** the only path in the whole area. And if mom set this up for me then she'd want to make it easy for me, especially if it was going to help me out. Lion thought this place would help me out. Okay, I'll stay on the red road. Good thing I brought my training shoes, looks like it'll be a **long** walk."_

He looked in the lettuce pocket of his backpack and took out his black shoes that went with his kalari. "I love you cheeseburger backpack!" he smiled as he put his shoes on and put his sandals away. Now that his feet were properly protected, he resumed his trek with a confident stride – accompanied by an improvised song to lighten the mood.

"_Ooooohhh, gonna find the magic spring _

_Gonna get my mind all clean _

_And eat a pizza with mushroom and pepperoni!_

_Then I'm gonna…huh?!"_

His impromptu singing session was interrupted when he felt the ground shaking beneath his feet.

* * *

"WH-what's g-going on?!"

His vibrating question was answered when two massive creatures popped out of the ground, spraying dirt and dust all over the place. Steven brought his bubble shield up to protect himself from the debris. He looked up once the immediate area became obscured by their gargantuan shadows, but still couldn't make out what they were. That is until they landed on the ground with a resounding thud. The shock of the impact startled Steven, causing him to land on his back and inadvertently lose his concentration to keep his shield up.

"_I think I might need to start wearing my helmet"_ he thought as he moaned and sat up.

"You gonna be sayin' a lot more than that when we through wit youz" an agitated voice threatened.

Steven's eyes shot open when he heard the accented voice. His pupils shrunk in horror and his mouth was wide open when he beheld the two titanic creatures looming over him, snarling and bearing their pearly white fangs at him. They were much taller than Garnet, at least ten feet or more, and their broad shoulders made them look like they were wearing football pads. Their legs were a little bit on the short side, but it didn't matter when they had long, lean muscular arms to add to their tough persona; it looked like they could stretch out like rubber.

One of them was covered in tawny-tinted fur with a creamy white belly, and dark blue hands with onyx-black claws. It had dark blue circles around its green eyes and unlike its companion, it didn't have extra hair on top of its head.

The other one was covered in a slightly lighter shade, almost like the sand from the hidden desert, and randomly dispersed coal-black stripes along his arms. His hands were brick red with matching onyx-black claws. It had a coal-black mask, similar to that of a bush buck, over his ice-blue eyes as well as a matching colored bowl-cut hairstyle. Despite their different markings, both of them sported the familial copper-colored nose.

The one with bowl haircut growled out, "Youz got a lotta nerve steppin' on our turf. Now we's gonna make sure youz **don't** come back!" as he cracked his knuckles.

"W-wait! I didn't-" but Steven's attempt at an explanation fell on deaf ears as the creatures tried to slash him with their claws. He managed to dodge the dual onslaught, but they kept up the pursuit.

"Guys! Whatever I did I'm sor-whoa!" he ducked in time to avoid having his head bashed in.

Deciding that there was no other choice, Steven summoned his shield and blocked another blow.

"GRRRR!" they growled as they pushed against the massive shield he brought out. Instead of matching their brute strength, Steven dismissed his shield – letting the momentum of their forward motion propel them to the floor. He quickly ran around behind them so he wouldn't get squished.

"GUH!" they grunted when they face planted the ground. While they were stunned, he summoned another shield as well as a pair of knuckle busters and got in his defensive stance. He really didn't want to fight, but he wasn't about to get beat up either. Once they got their bearings, the two creatures growled and turned their heads around to look at him. However, their eyes widened when they saw his gem weapon.

The surprised countenance of the bald one soon morphed back into a menacing snarl. "Ohhhh, so youz a gem too, huh?! Haven't ate one of youz in a **long** time!" it said as it licked its lips. Steven gulped when he saw its ravenous look, but he stood his ground, ready to defend himself.

Just before it could lunge at him, the bowl-cut one managed to grab its brethren with its long appendage.

"Mo, what're youz doin'?" the bald one asked.

"What am I doin'? Whatchu you doin' Curly?!" the bowl-cut one called "Mo" retorted.

"I was gonna wreck that gem and eat it!" the bald one deemed "Curly" explained.

"What're youz, a knucklehead?! Don't you recognize that shield? **That's Ro-Ro's shield!" **Mo explained.

"_Ro-Ro? Who's Ro-Ro?" _Steven thought while still keeping his guard up.

"What?! Mo, that ain't Ro-Ro's shield 'cause that **ain't** Ro-Ro!" Curly stated the obvious.

"I know that dummy! But that's her shield!"

"Mo, you trippin'!"

"Oh yea? Hey! You!" the bowl-cut spoke to Steven and he immediately straightened up. "Show us your gem!" it demanded.

Steven hesitated but heeded its command and lifted up his shirt to reveal his pink gemstone.

"See? What I'd tell ya? That's Ro-Ro's stone alright" Mo confirmed.

"But that still ain't her! What if it's some kind of spy?" Curly countered.

"Um…excuse me." Steven spoke and the two bickering creatures looked at him.

"What? Can't youz see we debatin' here?" Mo questioned.

"Well…maybe I could end it if you just ask me who I am" he suggested.

"Pssh, yea right! How do we know youz ain't lyin'?" Curly asked.

Then Mo slapped him on the back of his head and countered, "You dummy! We can sense if he's lyin' or not."

"Oh…right. Still didn't need to hit me though, ya rube!" Curly said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Yea I did. That's fer not listenin' to your big bro. Alright, what are you? Are you a gem?" Mo asked.

"Kinda. I'm a half gem, half human hybrid" he answered.

The two creatures just stared at him for a quick second before Mo said, "Well…he ain't lyin', but I still don't believe it."

"Yea! If youz a half gem human thing, then why do you have Ro-Ro's gem?" Curly followed up.

Steven quirked an eyebrow up in confusion and asked, "Who's Ro-Ro?"

"Oh yea…probably don't know who she is. Anywayz, Ro-Ro is a nickname my bro and I came up with for **Rose Quartz**, the leader of the Crystal Gems" Curly explained.

"Wait, you guys knew my mom?!" Steven interrupted as he dismissed his weapons.

"Yep, we knew yo momma. She had a pink stone exactly like that one and it was on her belly too." Curly causally explained…that is until Steven's outburst really sunk into their heads.

"Wait…YO MOMMA?!" they exclaimed.

"Ro-Ro is yo momma?!" Curly asked.

"Now hold up a sec…I'm rememberin' somethin' here…that's right! Ro-Ro was prego! So you're her pup huh?" Mo asked and Steven slowly nodded his head, correctly assuming that pup equated to child.

"Now it all makes sense! Only Ro-Ro could move those vines and you have her gem and her powers!" Curly finally figured out.

"That means this is **your** turf!" Mo realized before both of them shouted, "OH CRUD! We dun screwed up big time!"

Before Steven could even comprehend what was going on anymore, both of them bowed before his dusty feet and said, "WE'RE SORRY RO-RO'S PUP!"

"We didn't know youz was her pup! Honest! Then again…this is our first time meetin' youz an all." Curly explained looking up at him.

"Yea! We only saw youz when you were in her belly. Well…felt youz is more accurate. You sho did kick a lot when we put our paws on top of it" Mo followed up.

Steven smiled and said, "It's okay, really. I didn't even know this place even existed. My brother Lion brought me here."

"Lion? Ro-Ro had two pups? I thought she said she was only having one" Curly said.

"What? No no! I'm my mom's only pup. Lion is my brother through…a special connection I guess?" he tried to explain but they were still thoroughly confused. "Wait, let me show you a picture."

With that Steven took his phone out his cheese pocket and pressed the camera app on the screen.

"Hey look Mo. It's one of those telefono things them humans carry around and look at all the time" Curly commented.

"Yea, I'm surprised they eyeballs ain't stuck to it" Mo added.

"Ah, here we go. This is Lion" Steven explained as he showed them a snapshot of Lion sleeping near the fireplace, all spread out like a giant fur rug.

"Well would you look at that. Commodore Cottontail is dun all grown up" Mo said.

"Commodore Cottontail?" Steven asked.

"Yea, that's the name yo momma gave him when he was just a little thing. He used to live here for a spell before goin' off to other places" he explained.

"…_Oooh! This is the secret grove he was talking about!"_ Steven realized as he put his phone away.

"So ol' Cottontail brought you here, huh? Why now? I mean we've been waitin' like forever to meet youz. How old are youz anyway? Wait…what am I doin'? I'm being all disrespectful and rude, that's what! Let us introduce ourselves proper like. My name is Monain Quarata, but you can call me Mo" the bowl-cut creature said while pointing his thumb claw towards himself.

"And this here's my little bro, Atterome Quarata. But you can call him Curly" he introduced his younger sibling, while Curly gave an awkward wave.

"Curly? Why's that?" Steven couldn't help but ask. He could understand Mo given his name, but Curly? He couldn't figure out how that nickname came out of his regular one.

"Well, y'see-MMPH!"

"No Mo! Don't tell'em! That's a secret!" Curly stopped him by grabbing his muzzle.

Mo growled at him and he immediately let go. "Don't **ever** do that again" "Mo sternly articulated with a slight growl as he poked his younger sibling's chest, causing him to gulp. "And what's the big deal? Ro-Ro's pup ain't gonna tell nobody. **Right?**" Mo semi-threatened.

Steven nodded his head and said, "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"There ya go. Better?" Mo asked Curly.

"…Fine" he conceded.

"So here's the deal. Whenever his fur gets wet or its super humid outside, instead of laying straight down his hair starts to curl. Kinda rare among our kind, and a bit of a hassle to get untangled too" Mo explained while his younger brother blushed in embarrassment.

"Oh! My hair is like that too! Well…then again it's curly all the time" Steven said.

Curly's embarrassment fled like a rabbit from a fox as a big grin overtook his features. "Yea! You gots a nice set of curls on ya, just like yo momma, nyuk nyuk nyuk!" he jovially said as he patted Steven's head.

He smiled at that and replied, "Thanks! Now it's my turn to introduce myself. My name is Steven Quartz Universe. Nice to meet you Mo and Curly!"

"Ste-bo Universe huh?" Mo incorrectly repeated.

"No, it's Ste-ven" he gently corrected.

"That's what I seyz. Ste-bo. I got an accent, wanna make somethin' of it?" he asked with a slight glare in his eyes.

"Nope, I think your accents are pretty cool" he honestly replied.

Mo showed a small smile and replied, "Well alright. Glad we agree on somethin'."

"So…can I ask a question?" Steven asked now that the atmosphere wasn't so volatile anymore.

"Shoot" they replied.

"What are you guys? I've never seen anything like you on Earth before. And that's saying something since I've seen **a lot** of different gem animals. **GASP** Are you guys cryptids?!" he asked with starry eyes.

"First off, we ain't no gem and we ain't no animal. Second, I have no idea what a cryptid is, but we ain't that neither. Third, we flesh and blood, just like youz. Well…half of yuz anyway. Our kind is called **Canicaligians**." Mo answered.

"**Canicaligians?"** Steven repeated.

"Hey, not bad. Took yo momma a couple of years to say it right" he commended.

"But it's a mouthful for sho. So we simplified a bit. Just call us "**Tunnel Dogs**" Curly added.

"Yea, that is easier to say" Steven agreed. "But this so cool! Are you guys super soft like Lion too?"

Without thinking, he latched himself around Mo's midsection. "Sooo soooft and silky" Steven commented as he closed his eyes rubbed his face in the surprisingly clean fur.

However, the action caused a response that Mo would've like to have kept hidden. "Hah! No, no! Now you ticklin' there boy! C-Cut it out! Hahaha! C-c'mon now b-boy, I can't-" But he couldn't even finish his sentence before falling onto his back and squirming around in a laughing fit.

Steven finally realized what he was doing and said, "Sorry! I'm sorry!"

"No, don't get offa him yet! He really likes it when you scratch him right here" Curly snickered as he put his claws on Mo's chest area.

"Curly! I'm gonna k-knock youz in-inta" but he couldn't even finish his threat as another round of giggles erupted out of his muzzle.

Steven decided to play along and continue the "attack" as well. Plus, it'd been a while since he had fun like this.

"A-alright! Alright! Uncle! U-uncle" Mo breathed out and the duo ceased their tickling touches; Steven still sat in his lap as he balanced himself on his short, yet impressively strong, tail.

"Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk! See? He act all tough but he's just a big ol' soft-"

****POW****

Before Curly could even finish that sentence, Mo knocked him upside the head and he landed on the ground a couple of feet away from them.

"Curly!" Steven yelled.

"Don't worry 'bout him, he's gotta rock head" Mo assured as his little brother quickly sat up.

"Hey!" he yelled rubbing his chin.

"It ain't no act" Mo countered.

"Yea…well…still didn't have to hit me!" he retorted.

"That's what youz get when youz expose my secret spot. But…he's right. I am sweet once ya get to know me. But don't tell nobody!" Mo said pointing at Steven's face.

"Tell who?" Steven asked.

"I don't know! Ya know-" Before he could keep going, Steven slyly smiled at him and it clicked in his head. "…Oooh. Heh, ya know somethin'? You alright pup" he praised as he gently nudged his cheek with his fist.

"Yea! From now on, youz an honorary tunnel dog" Curly declared as he ruffled his hair.

Steven giggled from that and said, "You know…I could be a **real** tunnel dog too."

Mo and Curly stared at him with blank, confused stares…until Mo narrowed his eyes and asked, "Whatchu talkin' bout Ste-bo?"

"Watch this! Gem, can you turn me into a tunnel dog please?"

Soon a bright pink light enveloped Steven's body, causing it to seamlessly transform once again.

"What the?!" they exclaimed as they quickly backed away from his floating, glowing form.

His arms and nose/mouth became longer whereas his legs got much shorter, causing his lower garments to fall off his legs as well as his shoes not to fit his feet. His upper torso increased in muscle density, causing his shoulders to become broader; luckily he was wearing a stretchable tank top so it could accommodate his new girth. His fingers and nails morphed into thick, brick red claws. A short, thick tail sprouted from his coccyx and a velvety covering of bubblegum pink fur covered his skin. Little magenta spots appeared on his knees and elbows as well as a chocolate brown, star-shaped spot over his right eye. And to top it off, his new nose was copper-colored too. The light quickly returned to its source, leaving the newly transformed tunnel pup to gracefully land on the ground.

"TA DA!" he happily declared as he held his long arms out to the side.

Mo and Curly just stared at him, completely stunned into silence. Slowly Steven's grandiose and energetic gesture morphed into one of concern and trepidation as he brought his arms back to his body and his smile faded away.

"…Guys?" he hesitantly asked as his pointy ears drooped down.

"Did…did I…?!" he halted his question once he saw Curly's eyes get all watery. He ground his fangs together and clenched his fist to try and stop the tears from cascading off of his runny nose.

"Curly?! What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry! I-I'll change back!" Steven quickly said.

"No. Don't change back. It's…it's not youz" Mo said through a slightly cracked voice. Both of them sat down on the dusty path, with Curly clinging to Mo's back like a baby opossum – letting some of his tears trickle out. The eldest rubbed his misty eyes with the back of his paw.

Steven fiddled with his claws as looked at the ground like he did something wrong. "Are…are you okay?" he meekly asked, even though in the back of his mind he cursed himself for asking such a stupid question.

"Yea…yea. We'll be fine" Mo answered as he sat up straighter. "…You really are alright, y'know that?" he smiled as he ruffled Steven's hair. "Wantin' to **really** be like us and everythin'. And you look pretty good as a canicaligian. It's…it's just that youz look like our middle brother, **Latticlay**. But we called him **Larry**."

* * *

Mo was quiet for a moment and Steven was as still as a statue…nervously waiting for him to continue. The only sounds surrounding them were the wind rustling the leaves as well as Curly diminishing hiccups.

He chuckled as he said, "He had curly hair just like you and lil spots on his knees and elbows too. Heh, I 'member one time he lost a bet and he had to cut part of his hair off. Zip, right down the middle! Hah, 'member Curly? He looked like grand pappy Red!"

Curly wiped his nose on the back of his paw and smiled. "…Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Yea…I 'members" he softly laughed as he wiped his eyes. He got from behind Mo and sat next to him.

"Yea…he sho was crazy. Always tryin' some kind of stunt" Mo fondly recalled.

Steven showed a small smile but immediately turned his attention back to the ground, trying to keep that burning question inside of him. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause them anymore unnecessary anguish with an insensitive question.

"Ste-bo" Mo called and he redirected his gaze back to his soft, ice-blue eyes. "It's alright, I don't mind tellin' ya bout what happened to him" he said.

Steven's jaw went slack. "H-How did you know what-?"

Mo pointed to his nose and interrupted, "Our kind is able to pick up on emotions. I could sense your building anxiety. Though with heightened senses like ours, it was kinda hard to get away with anything as pup with our momma and pop" he chuckled before the somber atmosphere surrounded them once again.

"Y'see…it's like this. We ain't from Earth. **We from Ronidin.** It's a galaxy over from your solar system. It's really hot and sticky there, what with all the volcanoes spoutin' off lava and stuff."

"What? Weren't any trees or water?" Steven asked.

"'Course there wuz. How else was all that lava gonna cool down? And how could we breathe if Ronidin didn't have plants to clean the air? Trust me, we got more rain than we knew what to do with. Anyways, we didn't have plants like these" he explained pointing to some of the mushrooms. "Or whatever humans call'em. We did have some trees though. But for the most part it was mainly these giant leave plants that looked like umbrellas. Oh, dog! Hey Curly, 'member Byrok Mountain?"

"Nyuk Nyuk, heck yea! I still hold the rollin' record" he recalled.

"…By _one_ second" Mo bitterly replied but Curly stuck his tongue and said, "Dogs gonna hate."

"What's Byrok Mountain?" asked Steven.

"It's this extinct volcano that grew a bunch of that green stuff" Curly pointed to a nearby tree covered with moss.

"Moss?" Steven asked.

"Yea, that stuff. Anywayz, after every fifth rain that mountain would get covered in moss and it would be so soft. So we's all get together and the pups would have rollin' races! The ground was soft so the adults were okay with it. And you're lookin' at the reigning…and last…champ of the Roll-a-don" Curley somberly finished.

"…Maybe you can still do the Roll-a-don" Steven suggested.

"How?" he asked.

"Back at my house we have the really huge hill covered in soft grass! We could race there! And we could find an even bigger mountain with soft grass for more advanced racing!" he explained.

"Hey…hey yea! That sounds like fun! Whatcha say Mo? Up to getting' your tail beat?" Curly taunted.

"Pssh! The only reason you won is because I got tripped up by a little divot! I would've won and you know it!" Mo countered.

"Hate the game, not the playa" Curly responded with a smug grin and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Tch" he grunted as he crossed his arms.

"So…how'd you guys end up here?" Steven hesitantly asked. He didn't want to change the subject from such a joyous memory, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"Oh yea. Sorry. Got a little distracted there. Anywayz, it was our home and we loved it. And I guess gems did too. **They took over and destroyed Ronidin**." Mo bitterly explained.

"What!?" exclaimed Steven.

"Yea. Like any other rock, gems need heat and pressure to form. And we had plenty o' that back home. At first it wasn't so bad. Y'see we have a high mineral diet, so we eat rocks" Mo explained.

"Yea, but they have to be the good kind! Lucky for us Earth has a nice variety. But we eat others stuff too. Like certain fruit or those fat, juicy Novellus worms! Mm hm!" Curly explained as drool dripped out of his mouth. "At least Earth has them Utamu grubs – tastes almost like'em. And pretzels! How in the world did we even live without pretzels?!" Curly exclaimed as little suns appeared in his eyes.

"Curly! Quit distractin' me!" Mo chided.

"Sorry…" he apologized.

"Anywayz, like I said we eat rocks. And gems are rocks. 'Course we wuz freaked out when them machine thingies landed on our planet. Then they planted those gems in tha ground, and we weren't sho if they were safe or not. Until ol' Mad Dog Ozzrik tried one an' said it tasted like rock candy. 'Course Grand Elder Leonbx waited a bit to see if there were any side effects and had the herbal shamans check him out. Once they said he was all good…just to make sure to eat a lot of pumice to clean his teeth or else they'd rot…it was like Diwaliko every day!"

"What's Diwaliko?" asked Steven.

"It's like that human festival called "Thanksgiving". On Ronidin, after the final rain of the year, there aren't any eruptions for a long while. So the ol' dogs took all that extra hardened lava, melted it down through some special process and made all these delicious and nutritious rocks as well as amazing treats! My favorite wuz that striped amber!"

"So yea, we wuz happy that we didn't have to wait an entire lokaci, err…bout ten of your Earth years, to eat some sweet stuff. But when them home world diamonds found out what we wuz doin', they got really mad and sent they armies to kill us. Now us canicaligians may live in separate packs, but when we come together, **especially **when someone threatens our own, you'd better watch yo'self! And our alphas were the toughest of the tough! They wuz scrapin', boy! They may have had weapons and whatever else, but that didn't mean jack once we sunk our fangs into their gems and ate'em. We'd pull'em into the ground and bash'em up good or throw'em into a lava pool. 'Course Larry, Curly and I were only pups when all this happened, so we couldn't fight with'em. We, along with all the other pups, were kept hidden deep underground for safekeepin'. Even though we couldn't get our claws dirty, we'd always howl and cheer for the alphas when they came back to rest up. Y'know, to show that we had they back! Now **that's **loyalty right there!" Mo shouted with pride.

Soon that surging energy manifested into an empowering howl. Curly joined in and the two of them stood, pointing their heads high as if they were trying to contact their fallen family members.

An electric, yet instinctive, tingling sensation coursed through Steven's little body as he watched them howl to the sky. His pupils constricted and the fur on the back of his neck bristled. He impulsively stood up on his stubby legs, leaned his head back and joined his new brothers in their majestic, yet melancholy, melody.

A few moments passed before the brothers ended their primal song. However, Steven was still holding his note high and strong. It took a couple of seconds for him to realize that he was doing a solo act and he stuttered to a stop. His ears pointed down out of awkwardness and said, "…Sorry. I…I couldn't help myself" as he looked at the ground.

"Why youz sorry? I was the one who started it. Guess I got a little carried away. And of course you couldn't help yo'self. It's all part of being a canicaligian. When one of us howls, everyone who hears it starts howlin' too. It's how we find each other, celebrate…or share someone's pain. Lettin'em know you ain't alone" Mo explained and Curly nodded in agreement as he wiped a couple of tears away.

"So if anything, we should be thankin' you Ste-bo. We dun just met and nearly knocked you upside the head, but you're tryin' to be like us and even comfort us" he smiled and Steven returned the same gesture.

* * *

"Now…where wuz I?" Mo contemplated as they sat back down.

"No! It's okay! You don't need to tell me anymore! I don't want you guys to hurt anymore" Steven insisted holding up his paws.

"Actually…I think we wuz hurtin' more keepin' it inside" Curly admitted.

"Yea…I think youz right. Even though Ro-Ro brought us here and took care of us, we couldn't really connect with her like how we doin' with youz. You just…**draw it out **of us and that's a good thing. We **needed** to let it out" Mo followed up.

Steven absorbed what they said, then lifted his shirt up to look at his gem. "…_I need to let it out too…**soon**" _he thought before pulling his tank top back down.

"Now then. Even though we wuz winning…the only reason why wus because **they underestimated us. **They thought we wuz weak and dumb. That's when they brought in a whole lotta reinforcements and battle ships. They started to wear us down because they don't need to rest. They just kept on fightin' and fightin' and we could only do it for so long before we wuz exhausted. So the alphas had to switch strictly to stealth mode to conserve they energy."

"And that worked for a while…until they switched them gem plantin' thingies to burrow deeper into the ground; it didn't help that they started shootin' out lasers too. So we had no choice but to fight above ground. Not only were those machines firin' off lasers, but they kept blowin' up because they couldn't handle the pressure of our planet. But all that drillin' messed up Ronidin's balance. There are certain pressure points, like nerves or somethin', which we don't mess with unless it's absolutely necessary. It causes more lava to erupt and that would basically cause Ronidin to explode on top of itself. 'Course they stopped that real quick when they realized that there wouldn't be anything left of the planet."

"What? They didn't care if gems got melted or not?!" Steven incredulously asked.

"Nope. They just made more, so why would they care?" Curly responded.

"That's…that's so cruel!" Steven angrily shouted.

"Youz tellin' us. Them diamonds ain't loyal to their own kind and they don't care 'bout nothin' so long as they win. Anywayz, they started pickin' us off one by one because the alphas was dead tired; they couldn't fight no mo. So we ran. The elders took all the pups and we ran as far as we could while the rest of the alphas…our momma and pop too…tried to hold them off. But…it wasn't long before they caught up."

"But instead of just killin' us, they tried to **capture** us. I guess they thought they could train us pups to follow gems and be attack dogs or somethin'. They'd just keep the elders around to gain knowledge to make sure we lived."

"…How could Yellow do something like that?! Force you guys to be slaves?!" Steven growled.

"…Actually, we didn't see no Yellow leader. We saw a spiky haired **white one** give out commands." Curly said.

"…**_Silver_**_"_ Steven realized.

"Anywayz, like heck we'd just roll over and let'em take us! The elders fought to protect us and told us to run, but we wuz tired of doin' that. Not to mention…there was really no point in runnin' if there were gonna mess with planet's nerves some mo. So…**we attacked**. We mobbed the first one we could get out paws on and poofed it to dust. We were doin' a dang good job as we kept on crushin' them. One afta another. Just as we wuz about to get another one, a huge **purple gem**…she…she…"

Mo had to cover his eyes and take a couple of shuddering deep breaths.

"Mo…it's okay. You don't have to be tough all the time…let it go" Curly consoled as he rubbed his brother's back.

Mo uncovered his puffy eyes and released a heavy sigh. "…**S-she caught Larry." **

His remaining composure broke down as he covered his watery eyes again. He rubbed his paw through his hair and uttered some undiscernible words. Curly offered him his paw and he latched onto it like it was his lifeline.

"**sniff** I-I can still hear him barkin' and screamin' his lungs out. I tried to save him, but I got knocked back pretty hard by another gem. Left a big ol' bruise right here" he explained as he pointed to the left side of his chest.

"I was just glad that nothin' was broken. It…it looked really bad when you couldn't breathe right for a bit" Curly added as he gripped his brother's paw a little tighter.

"…But that was nothin'.Then that purple **monster** tossed our bro to her white diamond leader. She held him by his neck and pulled a long weapon out of her head. We…we could only watch as he struggled to get out of her grip. Bitin', clawin', and even spitin' in her eye. Heh…a fighter to end. Then...she tossed him into the air and with one quick strike...she **impaled him"** he finished.

Steven covered his mouth and gasped when he heard that. "…_No way"_ he whispered.

Mo slowly nodded his head and continued, "…His last breath came out as a high pitched yelp…as if he wuz a newborn. Seein' his lifeless body on the end of her sharp sword silenced all of us, but it made me get up real quick! I swear if wasn't for Curly holding me back, I probably would've been on the end of that weapon with'em too. But I didn't care, I wanted to claw her face off for what she did!"

"Then she threatened us, _"Surrender now…unless all of you want to end up like this mangy creature and the rest of your filthy brood."_

"She even waved his bloody, drippin' body around in our faces! That's just sick and wrong!" he snarled as his pupils shrunk in anger and gripped Curly's paw tighter, almost crushing it.

"I just felt so…**helpless.** I mean, I'm the big bro! It's my responsibility to look afta them and I couldn't because I wasn't strong enough! All I did was get beat up! I couldn't do NOTHIN'!"

Mo clawed at the red ground, scattering clay dust as he let all those pent up feelings out. It was déjà vu for Steven to see this. He wasn't even sure was to say. **He** was still trying to figure things out in his own messed up mind. But if there was anything he learned from helping out Lapis, Jasper and Peridot…it was that the smallest gestures could provide the biggest support.

"…Mo?" he called out.

The downtrodden tunnel dog stopped thrashing about and looked at him. Steven placed his little paw on top of his and said, "It's okay. **Trust me**…I get it. You're a natural protector because you love your family. I **know** Larry knew that too." Mo just stared at him through glossy eyes, before shifting his gaze to his little paw. For a brief instant, it looked as though his precious little brother was there instead of Steven.

* * *

"_I'm so sorry Monain!"_

_"What? These little burns? Pssh, it ain't **oww** nothin'. How bout youz? You okay Latticlay?"_

_"I'm fine you big dummy! But you ain't and it's all my fault! I shouldn't have climbed on that ledge…"_

_"Hey now, that's just what big bro's do. You'd do the same for lil' Atterome, right?"_

_"'Course I would!"_

_"Then youz get my point. C'mon. Not only are you my brother, but you're a part of the **pebble pack**, 'member?"_

_"…Heh. **Volcano power in a** **small in size." **_

_"You know it. And…I get it. So trust me when I say this, I won't stop lookin' out for youz because I love yaz alright?"_

_"…You **are** a softie! Awwww!"_

_"Ohh…a funny dog" **SMACK**_

_"OWW! What'd I do?!"_

_"That's for yo smart mouth. I told you it ain't no act and I ain't that hurt to knock youz upside the head!"_

_"You crag head!"_

_"Mm hm. And youz stuck with me, whether you like it or not."_

_"…Wouldn't have it any other way"_

* * *

That fleeting memory traversed through his mind as his tough, rock-hard armor soon gave way to his true softie self as tears rolled down his cheeks, staining his fur.

Suddenly, he grabbed Steven's paw and brought him and Curly as close as he could to his body; holding onto them for dear life. Tears started to pour out of Curly's eyes as well as he tightly clung to him, almost threatening to pull some of his fur out by the roots. But that pain couldn't even begin to compare to the anguish they've been keeping inside of them all this time.

"…_Why?"_ Mo managed to choke out.

"Why'd it have to be him? Our momma and pop? All our friends? Our kind?! **Even our home?!** WHY?!" he angrily barked. It felt as though the air surrounding them became still, not wanting to possibly agitate the irritated and grieving tunnel dog any further.

"…I don't know" Steven quietly said as he hugged him tighter.

Mo untangled his arms from around them and stared incredulously at the little pup that was still clinging to his body. His pupils constricted and his ears slicked back. A small growl started to come out, but he caught himself. It wasn't his fault and it wasn't fair of him to expect a justified response. He just wanted **something**…anything that could just give him some solace and comfort. He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Steven grab him tighter.

"I don't even know why half the stuff happens in my life too. I know it's hard and you get really frustrated, but…I know that if we quit…give in to stinkin' thinkin'…then what's the point? Just to be a bitter little sad sack the rest of life? No. My mom believed that all life is **precious**, and so do I. It ain't worth it to waste this precious gift of mine to be like that. In fact…we're like a volcano!" he shouted as he looked up at them.

"A volcano?" the brothers asked.

"Yea! No matter how many eruptions we experience and no matter how much damage the lava does, something will always grow out of that harsh stuff. Like how you guys used it to make that rock candy or how all that moss grew on Byrok Mountain. But we have to wait…til all the things settle down and cool. Even if it looks bad" he realized as he recalled yesterday's conversation with Lion.

Mo and Curly just stared at him with wide eyes as they absorbed his profound yet simple reasoning. Suddenly, another long forgotten memory entered their minds.

* * *

While they were imprisoned in their spacious cell waiting to be assigned to high ranking gems, Grand Elder Leonbx gathered all the pups together and said, _"Listen my children. I know things look bleak right now, but remember: **the lava will always cool.** Never lose your wild and fighting spirit my children, for we will need it in the dark times ahead. We will meet again, whether in this world or the next, and the enemy will be vanquished. You can count on that. And we will sound our victory howl when that day comes."_

* * *

"…Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk. You know Ste-bo, I'd think you'd be a **great elder** one day!" Curly said with a smile.

Mo did one better and put him on top of his broad shoulders, leaned his head back and let out another resounding howl. But this one sounded different. There wasn't a tinge of sadness or regret. It sounded powerful and…happy! Like something that had been missing from their lives had finally been found. Curly joined in on the sweet sounding harmony, but it came to a halt when the brothers chanted something in their native tongue.

* * *

**_Kupambana kwa ajili ya upendo _**

**_Kupigania amani_**

**_Busa Ngothando Bo_**

**_Busa Ngothando Bo _**

**_Busa Ngoxolo_**

**_Vusa Amakhosi_**

**_Vusa Am'dlozi Bo_**

**_Vusa Amakhosi_**

**_Vusa Am'dlozi Bo_**

* * *

Although Steven didn't understand a word they we saying, he could definitely feel something stirring within him…and it was giving him a headache.

"_W-what's going on?!"_ he thought as he grabbed his head.

After another short howl, Mo took him off of his shoulders and put him on the ground. "Forget about bein' an honorary tunnel dog. As far as I'm concerned, **you the real deal! **A full blooded canicaligian! Youz a part of the of **pebble pack** now! Volcano power in a small size!" he declared as he patted him on the shoulders…a little too hard because he accidentally knocked him to the ground.

"MONAIN!" Curly chided.

"Shoot! Sorry Ste-bo! Youz alright?" he asked as he picked him up.

"I'm…fine" Steven responded as he steadied himself and shook his head…which wasn't the smartest thing to do given the building pressure inside of his skull. He let out a little whimper that he hoped went unnoticed by his new pack members. But no luck.

Curly and Mo's noses twitched and their ears stood at attention.

"No you not." Curly said.

"H-huh?"

"Heightened senses, 'members? Now what hurts? Yo head? You gotta bump?" Mo questioned as he looked him over and sniffed him to find a wound.

"It's nothing…really. I just have a headache…and I think I know **why**. Mo, do you know if there's a healing spring anywhere? One that my mom might've used?" Steven asked.

Mo and Curly looked at each other, with the latter shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sorry Ste-bo, **but there ain't no spring here**. There's an underground river that gives all these plants the water they need, but it moves way too fast. Trust me, you do **not** want to take a dip in there if that's what you thinkin'" Mo said.

"What?! But…why would Lion drop me off here? He knows I needed…guh!" Steven rubbed his temple as another surge of pain traversed through his mind.

"Whoa there Ste-bo! You gotta calm down" Curly cautioned as he helped him stay on his feet.

"I can't! The voices and-"

"Hold up, hold up. I don't know what's goin' on, but there **is** a place that Ro-Ro would go to. It's no spring but hopefully it'll help. Whaddaya say?" Mo offered.

Steven nodded his head, even though that small action made his head feel like it was being smashed between two bricks.

"Alright, it's settled. Curly, get his stuff. I got him." With that Mo carefully picked him up and put him on his back.

"Hrrrgh…Stupid little AHA!" After a couple of tries, Curly finally unzipped the lettuce part of his backpack and put his pants and shoes in there.

"Ready?"

"Good to go Mo" Curly gave the thumbs up.

"Alright then. Ste-bo, I'll need you to hold on tight. It'll be a bit bumpy in the beginnin'"

"…Okay" he slowly replied as he clung tightly to his back.

"Here we go!" With a powerful thrust, the brothers created a humungous crevice in the ground before starting to rapidly burrow beneath the red path – taking him to a different, yet desired, mental refuge.

* * *

**No healing spring?! Where are Mo and Curly taking Steven? Will it help him get rid of his building pain before its unleashed? Tune in for part 5 of "One on One" which should be up by next Tuesday.**

**I based Curly and Mo off of the mogmas from the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Their species names is combination of the Latin words _Canis_: dog and _Caligineus:_ dark(since underground tunnels are dark). I also based them off of the Three Stooges(gotta love that ol' black and white slapstick comedy) especially Curly's signature laugh. Their last name is a combination of Quartz and Strata. Their diwaliko holiday name is based off the Hindu holiday, Diwali. And novellus means "tender".**

**This time I drew some inspiration from "The Jungle Book" the original cartoon version, especially with the tickle scene and the beginning conversation.**

**Now, I made them speak with "accented/broken" dialect because they never had a formal education with Earth's language. Rose did teach as much as she could, but for the most part it was observation and repetition on their part.**

**I wanted to introduce another group besides the crystal gems that were victims of home world's conquest and restrictive system. Trust me, these guys will be popping up a lot more as well as others. All will be made clear as the story progresses. Can't give away too many details, it'll spoil the fun. **

**And I gotta stop making myself cry so dang much writing and listening to random stuff! Sorry for the intense feels. I'm sure you can guess what type of gem grabbed Larry. That'll be one interesting introduction in the future.  
**

**And their chanting isn't just some babble I made up. Translate it and it'll give you a clue as to who Steven will meet in order to help him out. Or wait until the next chapter ;).**

**And Commodore Cottontail...Lion's never gonna live that down :)**

**Once again, thank you all for sticking on this journey for the past year and for all your support as I go through my personal issue. You guys are freakin' awesome!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Just a couple of songs to listen to, if you want.**

**"Kion's Lament" from the Lion Guard when Steven sings.**

**"Digga Tunnah" from the Lion King 1 1/2 when Mo and Curly sing.**

* * *

It **really** was déjà vu all over again for Steven.

But this time, he was alert and being carried by creatures he'd never even heard of until now through a humungous and dark tunnel. Fortunately his new canicaligian eyes allowed him to see clearly in the inky cavern. "_Beats the heat and the sand_" he thought as the temperature steadily decreased the further they traveled, but his insulated coat kept him warm. The same couldn't be said for his nose though.

"A-A-ACHOO! Ooowww" Steven moaned.

"Youz alright Ste-bo?" Mo asked.

"Yea…I'm fine. Your hair just tickled my nose, that's all. And sneezing doesn't help with a headache. But I didn't get any boogers on you, I swear!" he quickly assured.

"Heh, don't worry 'bout it. I'm used to gettin' snot on me" he chuckled.

"So you guys live in these tunnels?" he asked.

"Naw, these are just the passageways" Curly answered.

"Wooow…they're huge! I thought it was just a **really** long cave or something. Now that I think about it…why didn't we go through the holes you guys popped out of earlier?" he asked.

"Whenever we come out or dig back down into the ground, we always cover the openings so that no one follows us. Really helped us out during the gem fight" Mo explained.

"…Oh" Steven quietly said; he really needed to keep his curiosity in check.

"Hey! No mo feelin' bad 'bout askin' questions! You just like any other pup, wantin' to know everythin' and that's okay" Mo assured and Steven nodded in agreement. Suddenly they came to an abrupt stop.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Heh, it's nothin'. Just time to flip!" Curly chuckled as he held Steven's backpack to his chest.

Before Steven could even ask what he meant Mo reached up, grabbed him off of his back and put him on his belly.

"Hang on!" he commanded.

"What? WhyWhoooa!" Steven closed his eyes and stuck to him like glue as they slid down the slick tunnel slide.

"WOO HOO!" Curly cheered as he gained more speed and passed Mo.

"Oh no you not!" he yelled before using his claws as paddles to propel him faster.

Steven decided to be a little bold; he opened his eyes and pushed up off of his belly to get a better look. "Wh-wh-wh-whoaoooooa!" he yelled as they went up, down and all around. It reminded him of the time he fell down Pearl's waterfall and landed in Amethyst's room.

"Can't catch me Mo!" Curly shouted as he waved back at them.

"Grrr…" he growled as he rotated his long arms like a windmill to speed up. Wind was whipping through Steven's fur as he held on.

"Yo Ste-bo!" Curly called back. "It's a lot betta if youz open your mouth!"

"_What?"_ he thought, but decided to heed his new pack mate's advice. "Ahhhhaaaa-ahahahaha!" he laughed as he let his tongue hang out of the side of his mouth.

"Yea! That's the way! Too bad you're on such a slow-poke though!" he taunted.

"Why I oughta…Ste-bo! Hang on, youz really gonna enjoy this!" With that Mo went into hyper drive and spun his arms as fast as they could go. Steven could've torn off Mo's fur with how hard he was grabbing it. Since he was so focused on the brown blur in front of him, he didn't notice the small juke Curly made to avoid whatever obstacle was in the path. Luckily for him he had an extra pair of eyes, even if they were squinted and moist due to the high wind speed flowing over them.

"MO! Look out!" Steven shouted.

"HuhWHOA!" Mo managed to bend his triceps at the just the right time to launch himself into the air for a brief moment to avoid the divot in the ground – which under normal walking speeds would've amounted to nothing more than a stumble…if that. But at the speed they were going…it would **not** have been pretty.

"Not this time!" he barked as he landed right behind Curly. He resumed his hyper drive stride and passed him with ease. He let out a loud howl as he gave his arms a rest, letting the momentum carry him all the way to the end of the slide; Curly finished not even a second later. But second place is second place, no matter the time differential.

Mo put Steven on the ground for, stood up, crossed his arms and showed a smug grin to his defeated opponent.

"…You win" Curly begrudgingly conceded.

"Wrong. **We **won." Mo corrected as he looked down at Steven with a smile. "Thanks for the assist Ste-bo" he praised as he ruffled his hair, which wasn't a good idea given the pup's condition.

"Owowow…oooo…your welcome" he moaned but still managed to put on a weak smile.

"Crud! Sorry, sorry! I forgot! C'mon, Ro-Ro's thinkin' spot is just through this tunnel" he said as picked him up and put him on his back.

"Yea…probably not the best idea to have a race. Sorry 'bout that Ste-bo. We gets a little competitive sometimes" Curly also apologized as they resumed their trek.

"No it's alright. I had fun, really I did. I just wish all this stupid stuff wasn't going on in my head" Steven replied.

"Stupid stuff? Like what?" Curly asked.

"…I don't even-"

"Nuh uh, none of that. You **know** what's going on. We won't force it outta yaz, but at the same time maybe talkin' 'bout it will help youz out. I mean, you helped us with talkin', so let us return the favorz" Mo said.

"…It's a long story" he warned.

"And I'm **seven thousand and twenty-seven** years old in Earth years and I'm still young! Time ain't got nothin' on us. C'mon. We got four ears, so chew'em why don'tcha?" he countered.

Steven sighed. "_Well…I got nothing to lose"_ he thought before deciding to recount his epic and somewhat repeating tale.

He told them **everything**. From the Jasper battle all the way to his excursion with Lion. Needless to say, the brothers were stunned.

"…_Vibaya_" Curly uttered.

"No kiddin'. That's some messed up stuff right there. Nobody but nobody does that to a pack mate o' mine! You want us to **handle'em**?" Mo asked and Steven vehemently shook his head no.

"No no no! It's alright…well…not really but at least they're trying to make things right. I mean, they're still getting over being outcasts and out on their own without mom around. They're hurting on the inside, just like you guys were." Steven explained.

"Yea…I guess. At least they gots enough sense to try and make it up to youz. Still…just the fact you keep fightin' and gettin' back up…all fo yer family. Now that's **true** canicaligian loyalty right there" Mo praised.

"Yea! You really are like Grand Elder Leonbx. She always put the needs of our packs before her own, even some of the really salty ones, because she believed in **upendo**" Curly added.

"What's upendo?" Steven asked.

"In you guys language, it means **love**"Mo explained.

"…_Of course it does"_ he thought, but immediately chastised himself for even thinking that – clouded mind or not.

"But it wasn't just about lovin' your fellow tunnel dogs and helping them out, but also lovin' yo'self. Makes sense when you think about it. How can you love someone else if youz hatin' on yo'self? That's why she always made it a point every morning to list off what she loved about herself. She taught us that too! Turns out them salty ones just had nothin' good to latch on to so they started bein' what they knew" Curly explained.

Steven's eyes widened with that statement. _"…Do the diamonds…__**hate**__ themselves? Is that why they're like that?"_ he thought.

"We here" Mo announced as they emerged through the roof of the tunnel.

* * *

"Ah!" Steven yelped as his eyes readjusted to the sunlight covering the now rugged landscape. "Whooooaaaa…"

The three of them were completely dwarfed by the sheer size of the encompassing gorge walls. Streaks of golden yellow and tiger orange blended seamlessly together over the bumpy, bronze colored walls. Like someone took a rough brush and painted it with thick oil paint. Even the sky above had multiple shades of blues and a hint of purple. It looked as if a pair of giant hands molded the walls. The indents on them resembled a sculptor's finger prints that were still visible in the clay. The whole area felt…**alive**, even though it was completely devoid of any vegetation.

"What is this place?" he asked as Mo set him down on the ground.

"Whaddya mean? This is Ro-Ro's thinkin' spot. It doesn't have a name if that's whatchu meant" Curly answered.

"Yea. Whenever she came here she said it was like **returnin' to her roots** or somethin' like that. Like she was connectin' to a lost part of herself" Mo followed up.

"Returning to her roots?" Steven repeated.

He cautiously walked through the gorge's entrance, looking up and down along the walls. "_This place really does feel familiar…like I've seen it before_" he thought. It wasn't until he saw a gap left by a dislodged rock that everything clicked.

"**The kindergarten**!" he shouted, his realization echoing off the walls.

"The what?" they asked.

"The kindergarten. It's a place where gems come out of when they're planted in the ground by those machine thingies" he explained.

"Oh. Well, I can tells youz right now no gems eva came out of there. **Trust me on that one**" Mo said as he licked his lips.

"Oh no, that's not what I meant. I just realized that this might be kinda like the place where mom was **born**" he clarified.

"Huh…make sense to me" Curly agreed.

"Well? Whatchu waitin' fo? Go on in and connect already! Hopefully whatever's in there'll help clear yo mind up" Mo said as he grabbed his backpack from Curly and gave it to him.

"Wait, aren't you guys coming?" Steven asked.

"Nope. **You** need this, not us. We already got our help, thanks to youz" Mo smiled.

"Yea! Plus, this is Ro-Ro's special territory. Well…**your territory**, and we respect boundaries" Curly added.

"But if things get rough fo yaz, just howl and we'll be there real quick" Mo assured.

"Thanks guys" he smiled before giving each of them a hug, and accidentally almost throwing Mo into another laughing fit.

"Here, I want to give you guys these."

"C'mon, Ste-bo you don't need to-"

"No, really! I want to!" he insisted cutting Mo off as he reached into his backpack and pulled out those chocolate covered pretzels.

"What're are those?" asked Curly.

"Chocolate covered pretzels!" he answered.

"Pretzels?! Oooo! Gimme Gimme Gimme!" Curly begged with starry eyes before Mo slapped him on the back of the head.

"Atterome!"

"OW! What?!"

Mo just crossed his arms and gave him the "_Really_?" look and he got the message.

"…Sorry fo bein' rude" Curly apologized as his ears pointed down.

Steven laughed and assured, "It's okay…but I just realized something. Can you guys eat chocolate? I don't wanna make you guys sick."

"Chocolate…that sounds familiar. Is it brown and shaped like this?" Curly asked as he made a rectangle-shape with his claws.

"Most of the time yea" he replied.

"Then we good. It's just that it sometimes has this coverin' with this human word written on it, so I wasn't sure if they wuz one an' the same" he explained as he wrote the word on the dirt.

"Oh, Cherishey's! That's the name of a place in Keystone that makes all kinds of chocolate" he explained.

"Really?! Mo! We gotta go there! Can we, can we?" he asked as he shook his brother.

"If y-youz d-don't quit s-s-shakin' me, we won't!" Mo irritably replied and he immediately let go of him. "Sorry…again"

Mo sighed and said, "Forget 'bout it."

Now that the potential food danger was eliminated, he handed each of them three oval-shaped pretzels.

"Thanks Ste-bo!" Curly exclaimed as he popped them all in his mouth.

"Mmmmm…soooo good" he happily said as he chewed the delectable treats.

Mo just shook his head in exasperation and said, "Sorry…he's a pretzel junkie. Ever since we got'em fo free one day in New Yark, he's been eatin'em every chance he gets. Even stale ones."

"Whateva! Like youz one to talk" Curly huffed.

"Anyway, thank you Ste-bo" Mo said brushing him off before popping one into his mouth. "Mmmmm!" he sighed in content as his whole body just relaxed like he was on cloud nine.

"Mh hm! Who's the junkie now?" Curly asked.

"…Don't bother me. I'm eatin' here" he responded as he popped another one into his mouth, smiling and savoring the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Steven smiled at how content they were before taking a deep breath and releasing the long exhale. "Alright guys…I'll see you later."

"Good luck Ste-bo!" Curly cheered and Mo nodded in agreement. He gave a slight nod in return before slinging his backpack over his back and started walking through the canyon.

* * *

"Wow, the ground sure is soft" he commented as he felt the soil beneath his paws. He decided to remain in his tunnel dog form for now, his strides were a lot longer than if he were walking on two legs.

"_I wonder if this is what mom's kindergarten looked like. Or I guess Black Diamond's since she split into her. Still…it's really beautiful, not like the __**other one**_" he thought.

Even though it was quiet, it felt…**relaxing.** Not like Amethyst's kindergarten…the deafening silence just rang **uneasiness**.

But that chill vibe around him shattered when he thought, "…_Feels like I'm in one of those ancient mazes"_ as he kept looking up at the walls.

Even though this was now his territory, he couldn't help but have a slight tinge of trepidation. What if there was a challenge that he had to overcome? I mean just getting those voices to shut up was exhausting enough. Or maybe there were booby traps to keep trespassers out and they wouldn't recognize his gem until it was too late!

"ENOUGH!" Steven shouted and that silenced those disturbing thoughts within his head. "_Mom made this and she __**knew**__ I would need it. I just need to stop overthinking it_" he mentally declared before taking off in a full on sprint.

Unbeknownst to him, his gem started to pulse. The further he went in the natural sanctuary, the faster the light flickered.

After a couple minutes of running, he finally reached the center of the gorge and it wasn't at all what he was expecting.

The only thing there was a **tree**. A lone, **lifeless** tree with multiple branches on top of a little elevated pile of dirt. He cautiously approached the brittle plant and gingerly touched the bark, expecting something to happen. But the only thing that did was cause a piece of it to chip off and fall to the ground.

"…THAT'S IT?!" his voiced echoed as he threw his arms up in frustration. "No mystical statue, no magic carvings on the walls, not even a letter?! Just a tree?! How is that supposed to help me?!" he yelled as he paced around in a circle, kicking up more dust in his wake.

Soon little hot drops of water sprung from his eyes during his little stomping tirade. He was frustrated, confused, and beyond irritated. But most of all…he just felt…**alone. **

He couldn't talk to his mom unless he was on the verge of death and there was **no way** on Earth he was going through that recovery process again if he could help it. The gems were looking to him for answers now…which was new for him. Even though Garnet said to just continue being himself, he couldn't help but think that after all the revelations, they were expecting him to be himself to the hundredth power! He couldn't come to them with this…they wouldn't understand.

…_**How ironic can you get? **_

"I just want someone I can talk to!" he shouted towards the sky, but all he got was the comforting silence that ruled this land.

However…one **entity** heard his plea as his gem stopped pulsing.

He sighed as he went over to the tree and sat down underneath the partially shaded ground. He wiped his eyes with the back of his paw and looked at his shadow on the ground.

"_Guess I'm talking to myself_" he whispered.

Or…something better.

"Maybe… maybe I could sing to myself! That's why he left me the guitar! But…I could've done that at home. So whGAH!"

The throbbing pain in his temple barely allowed him to concentrate let alone formulate any lyrics. Not to mention…the way he was feeling, he couldn't put any effort into a song even if he wanted to. Whenever he sang to the gems or just played in general, there was always this funky flow; now it's all plugged up. But that little sliver of determination that rivaled Little Robbie's wouldn't let him give in. He wanted…**needed**…help and he was going to get it one way or another.

"_I have to try"_ he thought as he looked up at the cloudless sky. He took a deep breath and started singing the overwhelming feelings that flooded his mind.

* * *

"_How? How can I do this at all?_

_They say it my leader's call_

_But then everything goes wrong_

_Now what? What should I do?_

_And who? Who do I turn to?_

_Now everything feels so upside down_

_Deep down, maybe I knew_

_It was way too good to be true_

_With my family looking up to me_

_How can I be the leader they need of me?_

* * *

"**Steven"**

Steven's ears immediately perked up when he heard his name. "Hello? Is…is someone here?" he called out.

He even sniffed the air to try and pick up a scent. _Nothing_. He sighed and closed his eyes, letting the silence envelope him once again.

That is until a soft yet strong voice spoke his name again. **"Steven" **

He heard it that time for sure, but once he realized it was in his head, he groaned.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" he said as he pressed his paws against his forehead…which surprisingly didn't hurt now.

"…If that is your desire" it responded.

"Wait…what?" Steven asked as he opened his eyes. The voice actually…**listened** to him? And it did without putting up a fight and saying nasty things?

"You're…you're going to leave me alone? For real?" he asked as he took his paws off of his head and brought them back by his side.

"If that is what you desire, I shall" it repeated again, before adding, "But I know in your heart that you seek guidance."

Steven frowned a little bit at this internal conversation; this was almost like that nightmare he had yesterday. It started off sweet then turned sour real quick.

"…How do I know I can trust you?" he asked.

"You can't. Not now. **Trust has to be earned. **However, you came here seeking guidance. All I ask is for the opportunity to help you past this internal struggle. But in the end, it's **your call** whether or not to heed the words that I speak" the voice responded.

"Heh…my call" he bitterly chuckled. "For once I wish it wasn't. I just want someone else to make my decisions for me" he said.

"If that were the case, you would be just like any other home world gem under the diamond's authority" the voice countered and Steven's eyes widened when he heard that.

"Wait, no! That's not what I meant, I just-"

"It's okay Steven, I understand. You've been feeling overwhelmed as of late and you want decisions to be easier. However, **the easy solution isn't always the best solution.** Freedom to choose, from what to make for breakfast all the way up to deciding to go against the wishes of your family in order to protect them, is a _precious_ gift. Something that your mother was willing to **die** for. It isn't something to be tossed by the wayside whenever things get difficult."

"…You're right. But like you said, it seems like there's always some kind of catch with all the decisions I've been making lately. I just wanted to help them. I mean, I knew I'd have to deal with the good and the bad…I guess I just didn't think that far ahead" he lamented.

"The outcomes you've been experiencing haven't been what you've expected, but how do you know that they weren't **good**?" it asked.

Steven was silent as he pondered that thought.

"…I guess I don't. I know the gems and I are a lot better off than what we used to be, so that's good. But I wasn't prepared for those voices and other hurtful things that the gems said…even if it was me drawing out their negativity. And thanks to Mo and Curly, I've realized that they don't have upendo inside of them. It's…it's just a lot to take in" he answered.

"…Steven. Look at this tree." He did as he was told and turned around.

"Do you know why it's here?" the voice asked.

"No?"

"Your mother planted it."

"What? But all of mom's plants are green and alive. And sometimes they fight" he countered.

"That is true and this one is no exception. Well…except for the fighting part. **It is alive**. Things are not always what they seem and you cannot be moved by what you see. I believe Pearl and Jasper learned that one whole heartedly when you and Connie stabbed yourselves in order to banish that malevolent entity. Both of you knew you'd be alright, but from their perspective, it looked like you were killing yourselves."

He got quiet again as he stared at the dried bark.

"…I'm sorry tree" he apologized as he ran his paw over the rough covering. Surprisingly, nothing else chipped off. "Why did mom plant this tree here?"

"She wanted to prove a point. You were correct in your earlier deduction; this place similar to that of your mother's birthplace. She wanted to prove that organic life could thrive with the same materials as inorganic life and in the same environment without destroying the land in the process. The basis of her point was proven true. However…like all things it needs a little extra in order to reach its full potential. If this tree had an accessible water source, it would be flowering before your eyes. Same thing with a gem. Connie explained the basics of gem making to you, but without that little extra, gems as a species would be nothing more than inert rocks" it explained.

"…Oh. So…what little extra do I need to reach my potential? How can I be the leader everyone expects me to be?" he asked.

"**Take your time**" it responded.

"What?! But...there's"

"STEVEN" it softly shouted, cutting him off.

"Did the gems ever tell you to be their leader?" it asked.

"Well…they always kept on saying that I'd be a great one. Even Curly said I'd be a great elder" he hesitantly replied.

"But did they ever say, "**Be our leader**?" it asked again.

"…No" he responded.

"Steven, your compassion and loyalty know no bounds. However, you became something you weren't **ready** to be. Let me say that again, **weren't ready to be**. You **will** be a great leader, but you need time. Your maturity to decide to wear the leadership mantle is extraordinary and commendable. However…you **grew and expanded** into your new, self-imposed role way too fast for your mind to catch up. Not only that, because you were growing at such an exponentially fast rate, you began to expect that of the other gems as well, whether you want to admit it or not. **That frustrated you**. For example, I believe you kept asking yourself why they couldn't divulge certain things, correct?" it asked.

Steven nodded his head at that observation.

"But now you realize how difficult it is to actually do and why they didn't."

"…Yea" he agreed.

"Being a leader isn't just about giving orders or advice and expecting others to follow it. Heh…you yourself have a long track record of disobeying **critical** orders" it chuckled.

Steven sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and sported an awkward grin.

"Nor is it abusively controlling, like to the point of your diamond kin. But a **true** leader is relatable to others, inspiring them to stand by their side. And you've done just that, Steven Quartz Universe. Now it's time to let the seeds grow, no matter how long it takes. That's why Garnet asked you to be patient with them. You've given them the tender touch and the repercussions of their own actions were the firm hand."

"Hey, you sound just like the veggie guru!" he pointed out.

"Or I sound more like **you**" it corrected.

That's when the cogs started to turn in Steven's head. "…**It was you**! You've been saying all that wise stuff!"

"NO!" it sharply denounced.

"I believe your brother said it best, **"Don't try so hard to be something you already are."** Your insight to draw from past experiences or even different media enabled you to make those connections. Like how you did with the analogy of the volcano to the lives of the two canicaligians" it said.

"…It **really** was me" he whispered. A moment passed as that revelation penetrated his heart, causing a small smile to appear.

"…Steven. You're more similar to this tree than you realize. Both of you had to grow up in unconventional environments and flourish through many obstacles. For this tree, it was emerging through tough soil without a key critical component. For you, you had to emerge out of your mother's shadow as well as being an anomaly. Which…in retrospect…is harder to break through than the hardest substance in the galaxy" the voice spoke.

Steven looked up at the bare branches of the withered-looking tree, fully realizing how tall it was.

"…It was" he agreed through a cracked voice. "Just hearing all the stories about my mom and actually meeting her…she's a wonderful person. And even though she told me that everyone should expect something different and that I should be myself, I...I…just don't know how. I mean, up until now I wanted so badly to be like her…**for the gems**. But it scared me. How could I ever be someone so great? I know I shouldn't, but I couldn't help comparing myself to her sometimes. I guess to be me…I have to try."

"**NO!"** it shouted causing Steven to jump a little.

"You are **not** meant to be what others want! I have seen way too many times to count the pain "lower" rank gems of would go through in order to achieve the ideal look and demeanor deemed worthy by either the diamonds or their masters. It's sickening! You saw it yourself between Amethyst and your father."

Steven cringed when he remembered what happened in that storage unit.

"And you don't try, **you do**! If there is anything of our conversation that I want to stick with you, it's this. **You do Steven because you ARE Steven! **This tree didn't try to grow, it did and it still is! Your mother didn't try to be a different diamond, she did it! And I know without a shadow of a doubt that you will do it!" it declared.

Steven didn't even know what to say; if there were any doubts as to whether or not this was another vile voice, it was banished after that proclamation.

"Being yourself is the hardest thing for anyone. Especially for a gem when they are but one of a million or more copies – with the only exceptions being your kin. But I digress. In the beginning, we all are a blank piece of paper, letting ourselves be written by outside influences. But it's up to you what to keep written on that piece of paper, such as your likes and dislikes. Like how you love Cookie Cats yet despise Lion Lickers. You'll have to look at what's written on your sheet of paper and decide which parts you like the best. That's how you be you" it explained.

"…Sounds like I'm starting over" he replied.

"Well…considering that you basically didn't know who you were up until this point, I'd say you're just beginning" it countered.

"…Guess you're right. So…if I do this, does it mean that those other voices will stop?" he asked.

"No. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if they came back when you get home" it answered.

"What?!"

"Steven…for lack of a better word…**you are valuable**. Anyone is extremely fortunate to have you in their life. The gems, your father, Lion, even Mo and Curly can attest to that. That includes those voices as well. They are relentless, just like those ghosts in that strange game involving the yellow circle with a triangular shaped mouth. No matter how many times you beat them back, they'll flee for a while then come back. It's only after you've "**level up**" exponentially will they flee from you for longer stretches of time. And if they do come back, you can beat them back with a simple flick of the wrist" it explained.

Steven sighed when he heard that.

"I'm sorry. I know that's not the answer you wanted to hear, and I know you were expecting a quick fix for your problems. But as I said before, the easy solution isn't always the best solution. Now you have long-term solution instead of putting patches every time you spring a leak as the old saying goes. It's a process and it won't always easy, but it's well rewarding once you finish. Not only will you drive back the enemy, you'll grow and expand at your own pace."

Steven nodded at that notion and said, "Thank you. I guess Lion knew what he doing when he brought me here. This is just what I needed after all."

"Indeed he did…for **I** was the one who told him to bring you here" it revealed.

"**WHAT?! …**Wait a sec…you're the voice Lion was talking about!? You're the one who told him to stay put while I got beat up by Jasper?!" Steven incredulously asked.

"Yes" it answered without missing a beat.

"…Why?" was all he could ask.

"It was necessary. Things are shifting in the atmosphere as I'm sure you are aware. Dangerous foes of the likes you've never seen will be coming. Without preparation …you will **forfeit** your victory as well as your life. In order for you to even have a chance against them, you needed to connect your sleeping gem half with your developed human half. Outside teaching can only do so much; you had to awaken your hidden instinct as a gem…**as a diamond**…in order to be the full Steven. And the only way to do that was to meet your mother, since your gem is **essentially** her."

"…That's some wake-up call" Steven said.

"I know the pain was excruciating. Believe me, I felt it too. But like you told your brother, a lot of good came out of that encounter even though it looked really bad. Not to mention…**you** were willing to do it, despite all the inherent risks. It was because of your self-less decision…**your call**…that I decided to trust you and follow through with the plan. And know this, I would never **ever** put you in danger. For I am a part of you. I always have been and I always will"

"Why couldn't I hear you before until now?" he asked.

"Like I said, your gem half was asleep and as such our connection was almost severed. I could get your name out every once in a while when you unconsciously activated your powers."

"That was you too?! When I little I sometimes heard my name…but there was nobody there" he said.

"Mm hm. That was me. I could only connect with Lion because he was more in tune with his gem powers. Both of you share the same gem and as such that connection was passed to him as well. After the battle with Jasper, I tried to contact you but there were obstacles. For one thing, your mind wasn't receptive to my voice because you had so many thoughts running through it. Then those vile voices got to you and drowned me out. It was only when your mind got quiet, free from outside distraction, and that you were open enough to accept any form of help that I was able to communicate with you. Now that this link has been established, it cannot be broken. So you'll be hearing me a lot more."

"…**Who** or **what** are you?" Steven asked, shocked at himself for not asking that in the first place. "And do you know so much about gems? Oh wait…you talked to mom. But still!"

"I am as old as time itself, my true identity forgotten to those who I held a connection to with as well…save for your mother. Although our communication was sporadic to say the least. For your safety, both mentally and physically, its best if don't divulge who I am just yet. When the time is right, I will tell all. I give you my word. Although…given your superior deduction abilities, you'll probably figure out who I am before I even get the chance. But know that I am here to help you with whatever problems you face. So long as your mind is receptive to hear my voice" it explained.

"**sigh**…I get it, I need to level up some more. Well…you still need a name. I can't just call you "strong, soft little voice in my head" forever. Hmmm…" he pondered as he tapped his head. "Mmmmmm…I got it! How about **Navi**?"

"**Navi**?" it repeated.

"Yea! You're here to guide me like a navigator guiding a ship! Plus Guide is a boring name. Do…do you like it?" he asked.

"I've…I've never had a nickname before. I think it's charming! Very well, I accept my new name. Thank you Steven." Navi said.

"You're welcome! And here I thought you were this all-knowing being. I mean you are but you're like me too, not all uppity…if that's the right word. Augh! I'm not making sense again. I'm sorry" he apologized

Navi chuckled at its charge and replied, "You make perfect sense. **I'm relatable while also being helpful.**"

"Yea!" he grinned. "But wait…won't the gems think I'm crazy for talking to myself?"

"I doubt it. I mean Garnet is a living conversation between Ruby and Sapphire. Besides, there's nothing crazy about gaining wisdom, understanding and help. In the end, you are bettering yourself and that the wisest thing anyone can do, and it doesn't matter what outside perspectives think about it." Navi stated.

"Hey…yea. You're right!"

"Also know that I want to talk to you about everyday things in your life as well. I may be able to see what you see, but that doesn't mean we **see **the same thing. Not to mention…your personality is very engaging and "cool" as humans say. I enjoy speaking to you Steven, and it'll only strengthen our bond. Now…I know that I've given you a lot of information to decipher, but I'll say this one last thing before you mind goes into processing mode. **Look inside yourself.** You have the knowledge and determination to overcome any adversity, but it's all for naught if you lack **confidence**. You must awaken your own upendo and obtain inner peace if you are to be the Steven you want to be. And I believe that it's time for this tree to be what it's supposed to be as well."

"Huh?" but his mind was silent.

"Navi?" Still nothing.

"OH C'MON! Sheesh, this is just like what the blue hedgehog and his siblings had to go through with the Oracle of Delphius. Why can't people say what they mean? Well…I guess she already did. I gotta start from the beginning and look at what's written on my piece of paper. And I do need to level up on my own…so I guess she can't give me **all** the answers. Wait…is she a girl? Do voices even have genders? Awww…too much thinking…my head's spinning" he moaned as he laid flat back on the ground, and just stared at the bare branches.

"And did what did she mean about you, tree? Is there something inside of you too? Like literally?" he asked – more so talking his thoughts out, not really expecting an answer.

"Hmmmm…" His curiosity got the better of him as he flipped back up onto his feet and put his paw on the rough bark. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he wasn't feeling anything. Then he knocked on the tree and the sound surprised him.

"It's hollow?" he realized. "Hrrrn…I hope I'm not making a mistake" he said to himself. He drew his arm back and used his sharp claws to penetrate the wooden barrier with a stabbing punch.

"EW! What the?!" he yelled as quickly retracted his paw out of the tree. It felt like he got tangled up in slimy, brown strings; almost like a spider's web but thicker.

"BLEEEEAH! Gross!" he said as he shook his paw to rid himself of those odious filaments. "What's in there?" he asked as he put his face up against the fist-sized hole, but had to back up once a distasteful odor hit his sensitive nose.

"Ewww…rotten grape juice" he deduced, but he still wanted to see what was in there. He kept his mouth open, almost like he was panting, so he wouldn't be tempted to breathe through his nose, and used his night vision to peer inside the mystery tree.

"What the?!"

His earlier assumption of a spider's web was nearly dead on. The entire cavity was filled with a network of crisscrossing roots attached to the skin of the tree, leeching the nutrients. The filaments were dripping some kind of liquid onto the ground, almost like dew on top of a blade of grass.

"_Okay…this is weird. What are all these things connected to?"_ he thought as he looked around, but he couldn't make anything out from his vantage point. And he **wasn't** about to stick his head in there.

"Must be at the top" he figured and the only way to get a good look was to climb to the top and punch another hole up there. Only problem was that if he punched too hard, he could fall through the hole and end up covered in that sticky, stinky gunk. And he had a feeling Pearl wouldn't be too thrilled about him being coated in some unknown substance. Not to mention, he had no idea how sturdy the wood was, if it could even support his weight if he got up there.

_"If only I was taller. Wait a sec…I don't have to be!"_ With a plan hatching in his mind, he took a deep breath and pointed his head up.

"**ARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOO!" **

Steven's howl bounced off the walls of the gorge. Not a moment after he ended it, the reciprocating calls of his two pack mates reverberated back to him, as well as the sound of frantic footsteps.

"STE-BO!" they yelled as they approached him.

"HeWHOAA!"

Before he could even greet them, Curly scooped him up and held him close to his body.

"Alright Ste-bo! Where they at?! I'll tear'em limb from limb!" Mo snarled as he and his brother looked around the vicinity for any kind of danger.

"MMPH! Guys. GUYS! Stop, listen! I'm okay!" he finally managed to say after he got his muzzle out of Curly's chest.

"Wait…what? Youz okay?" Mo incredulously asked.

Steven nodded his head, but then he got up in his face and gritted out, "Don't **ever** do that again!"

"What? But you said-"

"I know what I said! But we thought you wuz in danger! We over there freakin' out, took about ten loacki off my life!" he explained.

"I-I'm sorry" Steven apologized.

"**sigh** Naw…don't be. This one's on me. Its' just that…you just joined our pack an all, and Larry's death is now fresh in mind and…well…ya know"

"Mo didn't want the same thing to happen to you. Ya know, make the same mistake twice" Curly finished.

"Yea, what he said. Anywayz, forget 'bout it. You obviously needed some help, or else you wouldn't have howled. So what the problem is?" he asked as Curly put him down.

"Oh yea! Right here, this tree" Steven said as he pointed to said object.

Mo and Curly looked at the withered plant and their eyes widened in shock.

"…No way" Curly gasped in disbelief.

"Well I'll be a gem's uncle. It's a **Ber Tree**!" Mo happily said as little sparkles appeared in his pupils.

"Ber tree?" Steven repeated.

* * *

"Yea! Oh dog, I haven't seen one of these in ages! Back on Ronidin, there were a bunch of'em in a place called Alacris Grove. It was named after Grand Elder Alacris, who just so happened to be Grand Elder Leonbx's great-great-great-great grandmother. She started growin'em when there was a really bad drought for half a loacki. The lava cooled at a much slower pace, so the rock supply, the good kind that our bodies can handle anyway, was dangerously low. All the alphas told us stories about that time."

"Packs wuz fightin' each other over food cause they wuz hungry. And we couldn't eat all the worms or else they die off. In addition to being delicious, they also clean the soil like the plants clean the air. So yea…it wuzn't pretty. So Grand Elder Alacris traveled far to try an' find an alternative food source."

"Now youz gotta 'members, we **love** us some rocks. Our ancestors hadn't even tried eatin' plants; if you got it good stick with it. So she tried all kinds of things, even observed some bugs to see what kinds of plants they avoided. Ain't gonna lie though, dogs thought she wuz crazy since she almost died a couple of times. But the alphas said that her strong will to save our kind kept her alive. Not only that, she tried different plants to counteract whatever made her sick. So she was our first herbal shaman too!"

"Anywayz, she came across a group of these plants in the Quallajin Valley, one of the driest spots on the planet and that's sayin' somethin'. Nobody went there because for one thing the soil there was disgusting, not even the Novellus worms went there. Second thing was that sun ants lived there. They about as big as my finger" he explained.

"Whoa…that's kinda big for an ant, if sun ants are like regular Earth ants anyway" Steven clarified.

"Compared to Earth's red ants, yea them puny. But they still small to us. Anywayz they may have been small, but when they mob you, they flippin' mobbed you! They vicious!"

Steven shuddered at that thought; getting one ant bite was bad enough but a whole swarm?! "_No. Just no on so many levels"_ he thought.

"So yea…she saw how them little buggers were devourin' that Ber fruit and managed to find a tree that they didn't claim. When she tasted it, she said it tasted liked chilled liquid amber. So just take your favorite food and multiply that taste by like a whole lot" Mo described.

"Woooow" Steven marveled with starry eyes.

"Youz got that right! So she managed to get a bunch of seeds before them sun ants felt her presence on they turf and brought'em back to our territory. Of course the pack wuzn't too thrilled by her discovery; they wanted something now! But all she as to do was show'em her pearly whites and they knew that everything would be okay."

"Really?" Steven asked.

"Yep! The alphas said that her nickname was "All Smiles Alacris". Whenever she smiled, it just made everyone around feel…better. Like it was comforting them and protectin'em at the same time. It's kinda hard to explain, but youz get what I'm sayin' right?" Mo asked.

"…It's like a **light.** Protecting you in the dark and comforting you with its warmth" Steven realized as he remembered what Connie said about him. He instinctively clutched his gem through his shirt.

"Yea! Yea that's it! Dang Ste-bo, how do youz come up with this stuff?" Mo asked.

Steven showed a small smile and replied, "**Natural ability** I guess" shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe youz can give some it to Curly" Mo snickered.

"HEY!" Curly yelled.

"Just kiddin' you knucklehead" Mo played off as he rubbed his brother's head.

"Anywayz where wuz I? …Oh yea! So she got all the alphas together, started diggin' holes for the seeds and a tunnel to divert some of the remainin' water to the grove. The good thing 'bout this plant is that it doesn't need a whole lotta water to grow, so it didn't hurt our water supply. And them trees started growin' faster than hair on a new born pup. They wuz already sproutin' the next mornin'. And it didn't take long for'em to produce their first crop and there sho were a lotta them fruit. True to her word, there was plenty to go around and they even had some to store for later. So every year when its Ber Fruit season, we would celebrate her courage, tenacity and mo importantly her cheerful attitude during that tough time in our kind's history."

* * *

"Whoa…" Steven marveled.

"Whoa is right! And now we can eat Ber Fruits again!" Curly explained.

"But what I don't get is how one of'em wound up here. I thought everything on Ronidin was destroyed" Mo questioned.

"My mom planted it here. She wanted to prove that organic life could grow in the same kind of place gems did without destroying any land. I guess she saved one of the seeds from your planet" Steven explained.

Mo and Curly just stared at him as they absorbed his explanation. Their lying trigger senses didn't go off, so he was telling the truth for sho. But how?

Mo scratched his head and said, "Hold up. You messin' with our minds here. We just met youz, you ain't never been here before and you know the in's and why's about stuff all of a sudden? How?"

"Yea, how?" Curly echoed.

"I guess I made that connection you guys were telling me about when mom came here. She told me why" Steven explained. But his ears pointed down when the brothers looked at each other, each of them with one eye brow raised. "Y-you don't believe me…do you?"

"Naw…we believe you. It's just so…"

"Unreal" Curly finished.

"Unreal? How?" he asked.

"Well, whenever Grand Elder Leonbx would go an' meditate, she said she wuz talkin' to all the elders that came before her. Her **past lives** or somethin' like that" Mo explained.

"You think I was talking to my past life?" he asked.

"Maybe. All I knows is you sho is one special kid if you got those kind of abilities workin' for youz too" Mo praised.

"Yea! Like I seyz, you gonna be a great elder one day" Curly added.

"Yea…one day. But for now I need your help with this Ber Tree. Navi, the nickname I gave to the voice, said that there was something inside of it. When I reached in, I got coated with these sticky strings. I wanted to climb up and poke another hole up top to see what was in there but-"

"Say no more Ste-bo. We'z knows what to do. At least this one's small enough that we don't haffta do the dog tower" Mo said as him and his brother approached the tree.

"Dog tower?"

"Yea. Ya see these trees can grow to be as big as these walls. But once it's super old and can't grow no mo, it stores one of its seeds inside so it can carry on in its place. Them sticky strings you felt was just the roots of the seed. Kinda like how that there pototo grows roots out of it after a while. Anywayz, them roots basically suck all the nutrients out of the tree and makes it crack from the inside" Mo explained.

"Oh! That's why it was hollow" Steven realized as he caught up to them.

"Youz got it. So once the tree basically fall apart, the seed falls in the hole it left behind so it can start sproutin' real quick. An all that dead bark acts like a fertilizer too" Mo explained.

"Wow…talk about sacrificing everything for the next generation. Just like what my mom did for me. But a part of the old tree is always in the new one. Navi was right…**we are alike**" Steven said to himself.

"You say somethin' Ste-bo?" Curly asked.

"Just making some more connections. But what's this dog tower you were talking about earlier?" he asked.

"Oh yea! So whenever it was time, we helped it along by tearing the tree apart. But most of the time the alphas would have to stand on each other's shoulders because like I seyz, our trees were flippin' huge! So come on over here and give us a paw, would ya?" Mo said.

"Okay…uh…what do I do?"

"Youz get on the side where you put the hole and just get ready to tear it up, alright?" Mo ordered.

Steven nodded and got on the side where he punched through the tree. Mo joined him and Curly stood on the other side.

"Oh…don't breath through your nose" Curly warned as both he and Mo had their mouths open.

"Yea…found that out the hard way" Steven replied and both of them chuckled.

"Alright, on three. One…two…three! HRRRRGH!"

With all of their might, the trio pulled the ripened tree apart, releasing that foul odor into the air as well as separating the sticky roots from the bark.

"RARRH!" they barked as they threw the separated sides to the ground, leaving a deep hole and a cantaloupe-sized, root spouting seed in the middle of it.

"Whoa! That thing is huge!" Steven observed as he peered down into the hole.

"No kiddin'! This one been in there fo a loooong time. Shoot, it might grow even higher than these walls" Mo commented.

"But…it won't grow unless it has water. You said there was an underground river right? Do…do you think you guys can dig one of those water tunnels that Grand Elder Alacris did for her trees and bring some water here? Please?" he asked with puppy dog eyes.

"Hey! None of that now! No beggin'! Sheesh, I can't stand beggin'" Mo exasperated.

"_That's because he'll give into it every time_" Curly leaned in and whispered to Steven.

"Hey! I heard that! I do not!" Mo snapped.

"Uh huh, sure you don't. Then why youz blushin'?" Curly asked.

"I'm NOT! It's…it's just that stanky smell messin' wit my nose" he refuted as he rubbed his muzzle, even throwing in some fake sneezing in for good measure.

Curly just showed a cheeky smile and crossed his arms.

"…S-Shut up!" Mo yelled.

"What? I ain't sayin' nothin'" Curly countered.

"Grrrr…whateves! Anywayz yea we'll do that, no prob. But we'll need your help" Mo said.

"Of course! What do you need me to do?" asked Steven.

"Here's the deal. First thing we gotta do is dig a tunnel pond right underneath the tree. But we gotta keep the hole uncovered so we have a air hole since this'll take a while. Then we go to the source of all the water ways and dig another canal that'll fill up the tree's personal pond. But…here's where its gets hard and where you come in."

"We gonna need youz to block the spring with yo shield while we'z workin' on the canal so we'z don't get blasted away by the water. We ain't the best swimmers. I mean, we can doggie paddle well enough, but we can't handle that fast movin' water. Normally we'd just get one of them really big rocks to block the flow, but sometimes they don't last very long. Not to mention it sucks carryin' them through the tunnels. That's why we have'em so big."

"Oooh" Steven understood.

"Anywayz, once we done, I'll grab you out the way and let the flow do its thing. And we'll come back to the tree through another tunnel and cover up the hole so we'z don't get no unnecessary geyser. Sound like a plan?" Mo asked.

"…Sounds dangerous. I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me" Steven said.

"Hey now, don't worry 'bout it. We expert diggers, 'members? And we **want** to do it. Not to mention, Ro-Ro picked one of Ronidin's plants to prove how tough organic life was. It'd look bad on us if we didn't show the same toughness" Mo assured as he went to touch his head, but froze midway when he remembered Steven's headache.

Steven stared at him with quirked eyebrow, confusion written all over his face. It took a minute for the light bulb to go off. "…Oh! Mo, it's all good now" he smiled.

He smiled back and continued with his hair ruffles. Steven laughed from the playful caresses.

"Alright, let's start spinnin'!" he shouted.

"Spinning?" Steven asked.

"Yep. Spinnin'. Oh…we betta stand back. Curly, start'er off" Mo commanded as he grabbed Steven and stood a ways back.

"You got it bro!" With that, Curly leapt high into the air and dove back down to the ground, spinning like a drill.

"_Coool! Dig!"_ Steven thought as he watched with starry eyes. The impact caused a minor tremor, but he was already down beneath the surface.

"_Alright, my turn"_ Mo thought as he cracked his knuckles and jumped onto the wall.

"_Rock climb!"_ Steven thought as he watched him scurry up the sheer cliff. His mouth was wide open in complete awe of their amazing strength.

"GrrrrrrrrRARRRRRRH" Mo grunted as he used a powerful thrust to dislodge one of the boulders. The giant rock fell to the ground with a thud, but even that little tremor couldn't shake the absolute giddiness out of Steven's body.

"ROCK SMASH!" he cheered when he landed on the floor and flexed his claws.

"And that's how we roll! Ready Ste-bo?"

"Ready!" he replied. Mo grabbed him and they jumped in the hole.

"WOO HOO!" Steven cheered as they continued their freefall. Luckily it was short freefall. Mo used his long arm to grab the edge of the tunnel wall when he noticed it starting to level out.

He set Steven on his back and said, "Hang on Ste-bo! We gotta catch up; Curly's too fast for his own good."

It didn't take long for them to catch up to the supersonic digger. "Curly! I got it from here!" Mo yelled, causing him to stop.

"Aw, you messed up my flow!" he complained.

"Yea yea, you would've flowed on right past the spring" he replied as he picked up where Curly left off, expanding the little holding pond.

"Would not!" Curly refuted.

"Please! We got turned around three flippin' times goin' to San Deijo" Mo reminded him.

"Sheesh, I said I wuz sorry! Give a dog a break would ya?"

"GUYS!" Steven yelled as he hopped off of Mo's back. "Don't fight!"

Mo and Curly looked at him, then at each other. "Fight? This ain't fightin'. We just messin' around wit each others. Trust me, if we fought for reals you'd know" Mo explained.

"…No I wouldn't. The gems do the same thing to each other sometimes and it usually ends badly" Steven explained as his ears drooped.

There was a collective **"oh"** by the brothers when they remembered Steven's struggles.

"Aw crud…we sorry Ste-bo. We've just always been like this so it doesn't bother us. But if it's botherin' you, we'll stop" Mo offered.

"No no! I don't want you to change because of me! I…I just need to get used to how others do things differently than me. Can't be moved by what I see" he said.

"True that, just gotta listen to your gut when it's time to intervene. But I appreciates youz lookin' out for us" Mo replied.

"That's just what a pack do, right?" he smiled.

"Youz got that right!" Curly replied. "But seriously tho, we'll stop with the joshin' around fer now. You just got yer head on straight, and we ain't about to mess youz up with worryin'. But diggin' all quiet like is borin'. Hmmm…I know! We'll sing our diggin' song! It'll make things go faster."

"Digging song?" he asked.

"All of the older dogs always sang it when they were expandin' they territory. 'Members Curly?" Mo asked.

"Sho do!"

Curly and Mo stood in the center of the makeshift pond and started chanting.

* * *

"_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah,_

_When you're done ya digga bigger tunnah_

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

_Quick before the hot lava comes"_

* * *

The brothers were like a well-oiled machine, making it look easy as they plowed left and right through the dirt; moving a big pile of it next to the entrance of the would-be underground lake. Not one to be left out, Steven got in the mix and started putting his new mits to good use.

"That's the way Ste-bo!" Curly cheered and Steven smiled at the compliment before joining them in their working song.

* * *

"_Digga tunnah is what we do_

_Life's a tunnah, we're diggin' through_

_Digga tunnah is what we sing_

_Digga tunnah is everything_

_Rocks and clay are a dog's best friend_

_Always more around every bend_

_And when you get to ya tunnah's end_

_Howl a lot and dig again"_

"This song is pretty catchy" Steven commented.

"It's actually a history lesson. Our ancestors would always freak out when one of them volcanoes started blowin' up. They didn't quit wit the wiggin' out until they actually observed how often and when they did. Turns out they were pretty predictable. Not to mention, they learned how to fill up the holes behind them so lava wouldn't go down the passage ways." Mo explained as they shifted their digging direction to create a smaller passage way.

"So this song is about your kind before they tamed Ronidin?"

"Youz got it" Curly said before going into the next verse.

* * *

"_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah,_

_Keep digga til you get done_

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

_Quick before the hot lava comes"_

* * *

"Hey…you guys hear that?" Mo asked.

Both Curly and Steven's ears perked up as they tried to pick up the minute sound that Mo heard.

"It sounds like…water!" Steven happily exclaimed.

"Well, what's we waitin' for?" With that Curly rapidly spun his arms like a windmill and tore through the soil.

"Hey, wait up bro!" Mo called but Curly didn't hear him. He was in the zone, happily singing the rest of the song.

* * *

"_Digga tunnah is what we do_

_Life's a tunnah, we're diggin' through_

_Digga tunnah is what we sing_

_Digga tunnah is everything_

_Rocks and clay are a dog's best friend_

_Always more around every bend_

_And when you get to ya tunnah's end_

_Stretch yo claws out and take a rest"_

* * *

And rest the trio did once they broke into the magnificent and massive underground grotto. The walls were covered with glowing moss, making the entire cavern shine with a greenish-golden hue. A three tiered gushing geyser-like spring was in the central of the chamber, whose mist reflected the ethereal light. Little canals surrounded the seemingly never-ending source and crystal clear water traversed through the passageways, rushing at high speeds to deliver the nourishing element to the thirsty to plants along its path. Now, it was time to add one more destination on this life-giving highway.

"Wooooow" Steven marveled with moonlit eyes as walked around the cavern, feeling the soft moss underneath his paws.

"Wow is right. That's actually our best time reachin' this place" Curly commented.

"Well…Ber fruit is a good incentive to go faster" Mo replied.

"Hey guys?" Steven called.

"Hmm?" The brothers' attention was diverted to the little pup staring at the canals.

"Can we do that dog tower thing you told me about really quick?"

"Why?" they asked.

"I want to see what these lines look like from above. They look like some kind of pattern" he explained.

"Oh I can tell you that, but it'd be better if you saw it from that little plateau over there." Curly smiled as he pointed out the small stepping platforms, similar to the ones in the mushroom forest.

Steven quickly made his way over to the platforms on the other side of the cavern and hopped on up. Once he was on the highest one, he looked at the fountain and beheld the artistic sight.

"Whooooooa"

"_He sure seyz that a lot huh?"_ Curly whispered to Mo.

"_Heh, we did the same thing too y'know. I mean you were doin' it all the time back at that comic thing"_ he whispered back.

"_True dat_" Curly agreed before shouting, "Hey Ste-bo! Whatcha see?"

"It's sooo cool! The lines kinda look like…your paws. And they're holding the spring" he explained as he put his paws together, palms up, like he was about to catch something.

"Yep, youz got it" Mo confirmed.

"Did you guys make those lines?"

"Yep, sho did" Curly proudly explained as he held his head up high.

"Ro-Ro found this place for us but we shaped it into our own home. That's why we dug the water ways look like our hands. It was Curly's idea – he's artsy. Wasn't easy, but it sho was worth it" Mo followed up.

"Cool!" Steven exclaimed.

"Sho is. Now come on back down so we can reshape it and lead the water to the tree" Mo ordered.

Steven hopped back down and rejoined his pack. "So what's the plan Mo?"

"Like I seyz, we gonna move some of this water into that tunnel we just came out of. Curly and I are gonna dig another canal, cutting right across the hand. It's the only way to get enough water pressure to fill the little lake we dun dug. But we gonna need you to create a shield and hold off the water as long as you can. And once we done, we gotta run! Understood?" Mo asked.

"Yea…I just wish we didn't have to mess up your awesome design" Steven lamented.

"Don't worry 'bout it." Curly assured.

"Yea, what he said. Besides…it'll add character" Mo explained as he held up his paws; it had a single scar in the middle of each palm.

"How'd you get those?" he asked.

"I'll tell youz later. For now, let's get that Ber tree somethin' to drink" Mo replied as they approached the source.

"Ready?" Mo asked and everyone nodded their heads. With that affirmation, Steven summoned the largest shield he could muster and placed it in the water, against the wall of the source.

"…_Whoa"_ the brothers thought but they quickly snapped out of their stupefied gaze and started spinning their arms – plowing through the canals til they reached the bedrock underneath. Mo took the lead while Curly smoothed out the excess dirt they tossed out so it wouldn't block the other ones. Thankfully the water speeds in the canals themselves weren't all that fast.

"Hrrrgh! H-How you guys doing?" Steven grunted out as he continued to hold the gargantuan shield in place.

"Almost done Ste-bo!" Curly called back. No sooner had he said that, they reached the tunnel they had just emerged from.

"Alright bro, straighten'er up! I'll grab Ste-bo!" Mo ordered and Curly kept on doing what he was doing, aligning the edges with absolute precision.

"C'mon Ste-bo! You got this, just a little bit longer!" he cheered when he noticed the weary pup breathing heavily from the strain of using his shield.

"Heh…never done one this big before" he chuckled.

"And youz doin' great!" he replied.

"DONE!" Curly shouted as he ran to the entrance of one of the other tunnels on the opposite side of the grotto.

"Alright Ste-bo, on three. One…two…three!" Steven let his exhausted arms fall to his side as he dismissed the shield.

Mo grabbed him and sprinted out of the way, quite impressively for one running on three legs, before the rapid current swept them away.

"Move it Curly!" Mo commanded and his little brother took off like he stole something.

"Ste-bo, are youz okay enough to hold onto my back?" he asked.

"Y-yea" Steven replied as all that jostling around stuttered his words. Mo stopped for a brief second and placed him on his back. Once he felt him grab his fur, he took off like he used speed boost. Surprisingly, he caught up to Curly.

"What're you doin'?! I know youz faster than this!" he demanded.

"What? I had to wait up for you! What if you tripped or somethin'?" he responded.

"Psssh! Please, I don't trip! But…thanks fo lookin' out fer me, little bro" Mo smiled and he returned the gesture. "But we gotta move it! I know that lil' pile I set up should hold it back, but only for a bit."

"UGH! Why is this tunnel so long?" Curly complained. "…And whose bright idea was it to put a slick slide?!" he asked when they reached the bottom of another slide.

"**Yours**" Mo flatly replied. "So quit yer jawin' and c'mon. It's just a lil' hill then it's all downhill from here. Hang on Ste-bo!"

"Okay" he replied as he tightened his grip while they climbed up using their powerful arms.

They quickly emerged out of the divot they avoided earlier, flipped onto their backs – with Steven on Mo's belly – and slid the rest of the way. There was no room for competition this time around (shame really; Curly could've been talking all kinds of smack since he won).

Soon they reached the exit and popped out of the ground in front of the gorge.

"C'mon! I can feel the water right under us!" Mo said as they sprinted through the canyon.

"There's the tree hole!" Steven announced.

"And no geyser! Curly, help me wit this rock!" Both of them went to the boulder and lifted it with all their might.

"_Strength_!" Steven thought before cheering their names "Go Mo! Go Curly!"

Veins were showing through their fur and the muscles clenching their fangs together were starting to get sore. But that little bit of motivation from their newest pack member pushed them beyond their natural limits.

"RARRRRRRRH!" they barked and they finally lifted the heavy rock and threw it as hard as they could into the hole, sending it down the tunnel.

"Covercovercovercover" they muttered to themselves as the quickly covered the opening with dirt. And with not a moment to spare. As soon as they finished smoothing the spot, the whole area started rumbling.

The duo looked up at the canyon's walls. "Aw crud! We gotta take cover now!" Mo shouted.

This time Steven took the initiative and ordered, "Guys, it's okay! Just stay close to me" and he surrounded them with his bubble shield just in case the tremors dislodged any rocks. Instinctively, the brothers dog-piled on top of him to provide extra protection. After a couple of tense minutes, the tremors finally subsided without any damage to the surrounding area.

Mo and Curly slowly got off of him and he dismissed his shield. "Is…is it over?" Steven asked.

Mo placed his head against the ground and listened. A few seconds later a huge grin spread across his muzzle. "It sho is!" he declared. "Now the Ber tree will have plenty to drink! Speakin' of, youz want to do the honors and plant the seed all proper like?"

"Me?" asked Steven.

"Well yea! Ro-ro planted it here and youz her pup. So it's your tree! Makes sense to me that you'd be the one to start it off right" Curly explained.

Steven smiled at that and nodded his head. They went over to the hole and looked inside. The seed was still safe; it even started planting its sticky roots into the ground to start absorbing some much needed liquid hydration. Steven decided to add a little extra and drooled on top of the seedling.

"Healing spit. **Just something extra**" he explained when he saw their confused looks.

"Oh" they replied.

"Are we going to use the bark too?" he asked.

"Why let it go to waste?" Curly replied. Using their sharp claws, they started chopping the withered skin into little pieces while Steven mixed it with the red, loamy soil.

"_Huh…kinda like making biscuits…only smellier"_ Steven thought as he opened his mouth again so he wouldn't breathe through his nose. Once the potent mulch was complete, Steven began layering it on top of the seedling until it was fully covered. With a couple of pats, the task was completed and it met with resounding howls that echoed throughout the canyon.

"We did it!" Steven cheered. "Thank you guys so much!"

"Aw forget 'bout it, that's just what a pack do, right?" Curly asked.

"Right! And you guys are so strong! You'd be the ultimate partners in a Pokémon double battle!" he praised.

"…Okay?" Mo accepted even though he didn't know what the heck he was talking about and figured he wouldn't understand it anyway.

Curly on the other paw said, "You know it! We'd put Ash in his place big time!"

"Huh? Whatchu talkin' bout Curly?" Mo asked.

His younger sibling merely patted him on the shoulder and said, "I'll explain later. Just enjoy the moment."

Mo was still thoroughly confused but decided to heed his brother's surprisingly sage advice.

"I can't wait til it sprouts!" Steven gleefully said.

"It shouldn't take long for the sapling to pop outta the ground now that it's got everythin' it needs." Mo commented.

"Sho nuff! Ber fruits as far as the eye can see!" Curly drooled.

"Too right! And don't you worry 'bout a thing Ste-bo. We'll make sure this tree grows up right" Mo assured.

"Thanks guys!" he said before a fit of giddy giggles erupted out of his muzzle.

Mo and Curly just smiled at the merry pup, but his cheery attitude infected them as well and it resulted in another empowering howl that went far beyond the boundaries of the canyon; acknowledging the turbulent past as well as looking forward to a promising future.

* * *

_**Later that day…**_

"Uhhhh…I'm soooo fulllll **BURP** Excuse me" Steven happily moaned.

The members of the pebble pack were laying down on the plush green carpet, taking a much needed siesta high up on one of the plateaus inside the hidden grove. To say that the day was exhausting was an understatement. It was downright **draining**, both mentally physically. But neither one of them would wish that it never happened, because that would've meant getting rid of the results that they've obtained.

"Now that's the sound of a happy pup" Curly chimed in as he released his own deafening blech to the sherbet colored sky.

"Hey! We use manners round here!" Mo scolded.

"What? Betta out than in right?" Curly replied but he ceased his comedic antics once he saw the "_really"_ look his brother gave him. He finally gave in and uttered, "…Excuse me."

"That's mo like it" Mo said.

"Thanks again for the rocks guys. They were soooo good! Especially that spotted one. What was it called again?" Steven asked as he rubbed his plump belly.

"It's called red granite, it's a rare variant of regular granite." Mo answered.

"A rare rock? Is…is it okay that-"

"Hey now, forget 'bout it. After the cray-cray day we dun had, I think it wuz the perfect time to crack open my secret stash and have somethin' good. But dog, I'm tellin' ya that striped amber is freakin' amazing! One day I'm gonna get some for youz to try. Trust me, youz gonna love it! Especially with some ground up jade on top" Mo smiled.

"Mmmm…can't wait" he replied as he licked his lips.

All three of them took a deep inhale and exhaled in complete and utter contentment as they watched sherbet sky morphed into a rich shade of blue, with countless stars dotting the celestial canvas.

"…Hey. Ste-bo?" Mo asked.

"Hmm?"

"You see that big cluster of stars right there? Kinda looks like they in a green cloud?" he asked pointing to the sky.

"Yea?"

"**That's Ronidin's galaxy**" he explained.

"What? Really?!" he incredulously asked as he sat up.

"…Yep. Heh…y'know…when we'z first came here and saw our home land so far away…I was cryin' my eyes out and wailin' like a lil' pup. Curly had to hold me for good while. It's…it's been a **long** time since I actually looked up at the sky at night. I didn't want to feel that pain again. I didn't wanted to be reminded every **single** time I look up at the stars of what I lost. But now…I actually feel **peace**. Don't know why…but I do" Mo explained.

"Yea, me too bro. …I wonder if this is why Grand Elder Leonbx made us stay with yo momma."

"…H-how did you guys meet my mom?" Steven hesitantly asked.

"We wuz assigned to her" Curly answered.

"…Well sorta. She picked us out of all the other pups. Not like there wuz much of a choice, but I digress. Y'see, when that white diamond leader brought us back to the gem home world, she brought all of them high-rankin' fightin' type gems together and started handin' us out. She wanted them to train us to fight an all that stuff. Just hearin' my friends squeal and bark as them giant hands grabbed them and checked them over with no regard to they dignity riled me up! Grand Elder and Curly tried to hold me back, but I slipped out and snapped at one of their hands. Lucky for them…I missed."

"And for you too. They would've bashed yo head in fo sho" Curly chimed in and Mo hummed in agreement.

"Yea…but like back then with Latticlay, I didn't care. Then I tried to break the bars off, but one of them gems, a **red one**, touched the bar and made it really hot. Burned my paws real bad…**that's** how I got the scars."

"…Oh" was the only thing Steven could say.

"Soon, it wuz just us and the grand elder."

"W-wait. Sorry for interrupting…but weren't there more elders along with you guys?" he hesitantly asked.

"…They only wanted the **main** elder and young blood" Mo explained and Steven got the message.

"It wuz already a given that she would stay with the diamonds because they needed her wisdom, but none of them fightin' gems wanted to take us. They thoughts I wuz a hot-headed maverick and Curly too weak since he was so young at the time. They were just gonna kill us off, but Ro-Ro stepped in and said, "_I'll take them. And the leader as well."_

"Sorry, sorry! But…how could you understand what they were saying? Do gems speak canicaligian too?" Steven asked.

"Sorta. We picked up on a few words they would use, most of the time it was **dumb mongrel **when theyz spoke about us. But either way, 'members how we can pick up on emotions? Well, we used that as our translator." Curly explained.

"Sho did. Anywayz, that confused the heck outta everyone, but they let her do her thing. It wuz actually conveinet for the other diamonds. Even though they knew they needed Grand Elder Leonbx alive and well-taken care of to make sure they "prizes" didn't die off, none of them wanted to actually have her in their prescene. But instead of stickin' her hand in there, Ro-Ro brought the whole cage with her back to her huge, pink crystalline palace. That whole compound wuz covered in plants just like these and it wuz way prettier compared to the rest of home world" Mo described.

"What do you mean?" Steven asked.

"I don't how to else explain it, but as we'z wuz travelin' over it, the planet just looked…**dead**." Mo explained.

"Yea. Ro-Ro's spot was the only one that actually had some green on it" Curly added.

"So she brought us to her lil' garden and opened the cage door. She didn't stick her hand inside like all the others. Instead she just sat a couple feet back…waitin' fo us to come out. She sho did wait long time cause we weren't budgin'. We stood in front of the elder, growlin' and barin' our teeth and everythin'. Especially when another **thin-lookin' gem wit one on her fohead** came round to check on her every now and then, but Ro-Ro always shooed her away. Glad she finally took the hint, I mean sheesh! My bros were never that clingy. But anywayz Grand Elder just sat there, starin' at her."

"Eventually, we started to get hungry. We hadn't eaten nothin' for almost three Earth days while we wuz travelin' by ship and Curly wasn't doin' so good. Ended up collaspin' cause he was so weak. I mean dealin' with Latticlay's death and hunger…that's a lot of stress on a young pup's body. My big bro instinct was keepin' me pumped so I didn't feel it as much. But my stomach didn't follow my head and let out a loud growl."

"That's when Ro-Ro came up to the cage an said, "_You're friend is hurt. Please…let me help_."

"But I wasn't buyin' it. Then again I wasn't payin' attention to my senses. I just wanted her to leave so we could make a break fo it. As soon as she put her hand inside to try an touch my bro, I snarled and bit her hand as hard as I could. She winced for a sec, but immediately showed this soft smile."

"…_Amazing! Your loyalty and inner desire to protect one another is truly remarkable. It's obvious that you don't trust me and I don't blame you. And I'll tell you a little secret…__**I don't trust my own kind either**__."_

"We wuz surprised when she said because **it wuz the truth**" Mo said.

"_I'm sorry that we destroyed your home…your kind…your way of life for our pointless crusade. I…I wish I could've done something, but I don't know how yet."_

"Soon tears started fallin' from her eyes. One of'em slid down the arm that I had my jaws on, and went into my mouth. It tasted like that striped amber. "_But I will…. __**one day" **_she told us.

"…_Guess she was talking about the rebellion_" Steven guessed.

"That's when Grand Elder finally said somethin'. **"**Monain…let her go.**"**

"Course I didn't want to, but she said, "It's okay young one. I've been watching her since she chose us. **She's different**, we can trust her." With that confirmation, I let go of her hand. Outta common courtesy I licked the area even tho there wuzn't no wound."

"_Hehehah! That tickles! Thank you for you care, young one. I feel better already! And…thank you as well"_ she addressed the grand elder.

"**Words mean nothing, actions speak volumes**. Based on what I've seen…your heart isn't cold like your stone brethren. I have made the decision to trust you, Rose Quartz. Break it and I swear on the blood of my people that I will **break** you in my own jaws. Am I clear?"

"Needless to say we were shocked that she wuz actually speakin' they language, even Ro-Ro was surprised" Mo elaborated.

"Well, they seyz the grand elder has the wisdom of a thousand generations" Curly added.

"True dat, but it was still unsettlin'. I mean it's very rare that Grand Elder ever got mad, but when she did…shooooot! You thought I had a temper, hers is a million times worse" Mo shuddered.

"But she knew how to control it" Steven realized.

"You got that right. Even with everythin' goin' on, she still kept it cool in order to keep us somewhat calm. Once Ro-Ro agreed to her condition, Grand Elder picked us up and carried us out of the cage. Then she started askin' what she could do to help my bro. Grand Elder told her to grind up some rocks and mix it with water since he was too weak to chew. Since they didn't gots no water, she used her tears and mixed it one of the gems decoratin' her garden" Mo explained.

"_Just like she did with Lion"_ Steven thought.

"It sho was good too! Tasted like some of that chilled volcano water back home. Filled me up right" Curly said as he licked his lips.

"Yep yep. Ever since then, Elder and Ro-Ro dun took care of us, let us run around her place, and taught us what's we needed to know 'bout gem culture so we'z wouldn't gets in trouble" Mo finished.

"Wow" Steven smiled, before thinking _"A small act really can make a big difference."_

* * *

"So wait…what happened to Grand Elder Leonbx and the rest of your friends?"

"…I don't know" Mo answered.

"What?"

"Hold up, let me back up fo a minute. Well…the rest of our kind didn't have it like us. They wuz beaten, kicked, and whipped. But they still wouldn't bend to their will. True canicaligian spirit right there. When Ro-Ro heard about this, she started formulatin' a plan to have'em all stay with her before them fightin' gems got fed up and decided to kill'em fo bein' too much to handle. Cause in they sight, if you ain't useful, youz better off dead. One by one she was able to convince them fightin' commanders to let her be responsible fo us. Some of'em were a lil' bit harder to turn around 'cause they wuz scared that not bein' able to train one of us would look bad on they leadership cred. But once Ro-Ro assured them that they wouldn't be in no trouble, they let her have'em" Mo explained.

"Ro-Ro dun made that same drink fo the rest of'em cause they wuz in bad shape, but just the fact that we wuz all together again made us real happy" Curly added.

"Sho did. And once we wuz all healthy Grand Elder told us her real plan, to travel and live on a planet called **Yentrobos.** She and Ro-Ro looked at all the planets the gems were scoutin' and chose that one as our new home. It wuz just like Ronidin, and it wuz a perfect time to leave since they wuz gettin' ready to come here" Mo explained.

"…Why didn't you go with them?" Steven asked.

"Oh believe me, we wanted to. We wuz all hyped to get on one of them ships and fly up outta that stink hole of a planet. But Grand Elder told us to stay with Ro-Ro" Mo said.

"We wuz mad fo sho. Mo even bit her!" Curly explained.

"What?!"

"Heh…sho did. You know I don't mess around. But she wuzn't upset with us. Instead she told us our place is by Ro-Ro's side."

* * *

"_Monain. Atterome. I know it's difficult for you to understand-"_

"_Course it's dun difficult to understand! We like Ro-Ro an all but we __**hate**__ it here! Even if Yentrobos ain't home home, we still want to be with everybody!" _

"_Even if you came with me, your hearts would always ache because of what you witnessed…and I don't fault you. What happened to our kind…your parents…especially your brother Latticlay was a horrible tragedy; the others weren't as affected by the act as you two were. They're ready to move on…but you two are not."_

"_So what?! We'z just supposed to forget 'bout everythin' that happened?! A pack never abandons they own and we'll never abandon Larry, momma or pop!" _

"_I never said to forget, for to forget where you came from wipes out a part of who you are. If I lost my connection to the elders before me, I wouldn't be the leader I am today. Young ones…you story has been written with a terrible chapter and in your case…simply moving to a new area will not give you a happy ending. You must find __**peace**__. And the only way to do that…is to stay with Rose Quartz." _

"_Peace with who!? Gems?! You can forget 'bout it!"_

"…_So you say. But I don't mean peace with just the ones who wronged you two, but finding inner peace as well. I know you realize that not all gems are like the white one who killed Latticlay, just like some of our kind weren't exactly pack friendly. I've seen the way you treat Rose Quartz. She became like a __**mother**__ to you, despite being an "enemy", and as such you always protected her whenever another gem would give her a hard time. To further prove my point, you had every opportunity to leave her home…but you didn't. You even gave her that affectionate nickname, which only do with someone you've grown fond of."_

"_But…but" _

"_Monain, Atterome. Our move is simply a temporary fix, there's no guarantee that we will survive. But you two. Your destinies are entwined with gem kind and you will help usher in a permanent solution for not only gem kind, but for your own distressed spirits as well. That's why you must stay with Rose. It may not happen tomorrow or even a thousand lokaci, but believe me when I say that it will happen, and it will come in the __**most unexpected way**__."_

* * *

"And that wuz that. We stayed with Ro-Ro while they went off to Yentrobos. So I don't know what's goin' on with them. But in the end…she wuz right. As always. We'z finally found peace…and you can't get anymo unexpected than a half gem/human pup transformin' into a tunnel dog pup. Not to mention that Ro-Ro dun used our most important tree to prove a point bout resilience. And we'z gonna be just like that tree, thrivin' in any kind of environment!" Mo declared.

"Yea!" Curly agreed.

"So thanks a bunch Ste-bo. For everthin'. I know things are a lil' rough right now, but it'll get better in the most unexpected way. So long as youz got that ol' canicaligian spirit inside of yaz, you'll be just fine" Mo assured as he rubbed his head.

Steven smiled at that and replied with a simple, "Yea."

But that resolve was quickly replaced with a larger realization. "Wait…HOME! How am I going to get back?! Oh man, I hope the gems aren't home, they'll be freaking out for sure!" Steven panicked as he paced around the plateau.

"Ste-bo!" Mo barked before holding the frantic pup in place. "You need to chill. You seyz that youz and Cottontail gots a connection, right? Try callin' him again."

"Yea, I'm sho he can sense youz feelin' alright now" Curly added.

"And if he don't come, we can travel to the temple by one of our tunnels" Mo explained.

"What? You guys know how to get to my house?" he asked.

"Yep. Course we'z only been there one time. Ro-Ro said if we ever needed help to come to her. But you know my bro, "Mr. Stubborn, Hot-head, Want to handle things by myself, Don't need no help from nobody" wuz takin' control. Anywayz, we can get there in two days if it came to that" Curly offered.

"Thanks guys" he said but simultaneously thought, "_I really hope it doesn't come to that._"

"Alright, let me try calling Lion." With that Steven sat Indian-style on the ground, clasped his hands together in a mediation position and closed his eyes.

"_Lion? If you can hear me, I'm better now. I talked to that voice that talked to you and she's going to help me out from now on. Can you come pick me up so the gems don't worry about me? Please?" _he strongly thought.

When he opened his eyes, all he saw were Mo and Curly standing over him.

"Anythin?" Curly asked and Steven shook his head.

"**sigh** Guess it didn't-" Before he had a chance to finish his sentence, a glowing pink circle appeared out of thin air, with Lion emerging out of it and skidding to a stop right in front of them.

"WHOA!" the brothers yelled as they got in a fighting stance.

"LION!" Steven exclaimed as he quickly sat up and ran over to hug his hairy brother.

"Geez! A little heads up would've been nice! You dun nearly gave me a heart attack!" Mo complained but immediately toned down his agitation when he beheld the tender scene in front of him.

"Thanks for coming bud" Steven said and Lion softly growled in response.

"Dang Commodore, you sho are a lot bigger than in that photo" Curly said as he approached the gargantuan feline. "And sooo fluffy! Just like cotton candy. Ro-Ro dun named you right when she called you Commodore Cottontail" he realized as he petted his mane.

When Curly mentioned his cub-hood name, Lion quickly turned his head with his ears slicked back and snarled at him.

"Whoa! What'd I say?" Curly said as he retraced his claw off of his mane.

"…Lion? Do you not like that name?" Steven asked and Lion forcefully huffed through his nose, extenuating how much he despised it.

"Sorry 'bout that furry bro. But don't get mad at us, that's all we've ever known" Curly defended.

Lion sighed then licked Curly's paw, his way saying he was sorry as well.

"Now that's betta. Alright Lion, go on and take this lil' pup home so his family don't freak out about him bein' missin'. They ain't there…right?" Mo asked and Lion shook his head no. "Good. Now up you go" as he picked Steven up.

Just as he was about to set him on top of his back, he shouted, "WAIT!"

Mo set him down and before he could ask what was wrong, Steven wrapped his long arms around him in a big ol' hug. "Thanks for everything Mo" he said as he rubbed his face in his tummy.

"N-Now boy! I dun told y-you -hahahaha ha!" he laughed.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" he said as he released him from the hug.

"Hehehhooo…forget 'bout it" he breathed out.

"Hey now, don't leave me out!" Before Curly even had a chance, Steven ran up and tackled him to the ground with another powerful hug. "Thank you too Curly" he said.

"Heh! No prob Ste-bo" he replied as he returned the embrace.

"I'll see you guys every week, I promise!" he said as he got up off of him and ran over to get his bag near his sitting spot.

"Can you bring more of them pretzels too? Please?" Curly asked.

"Atterome!"

"What? It never hurts to ask."

Steven laughed and replied, "Of course I can. And here, you can have the rest of these" he said as he took out the rest of the chocolate covered pretzels.

"You rock Ste-bo!" Curly cheered with starry eyes as he graciously held out his paws so Steven could pour the delicious contents onto his palms.

"Don't want to be a litter bug" he commented as he put the empty plastic sandwich bag back into his backpack.

"Mmmm! Sooo gooood" Curly happily said as he ate one of the treats.

Mo just shook his head, picked Steven up and placed him on Lion's back. "See ya soon Ste-bo. And 'remembers, we a pack now. We got yo back so dun hesitate to get us."

Steven smiled at that. "Is it alright to tell the gems about you guys?" he asked.

The brothers looked at each other, then Mo answered, "…No. This is our secret turf and we'z want to keep it that way. Plus…I know I seyz we found peace an' all but we still a lil' wary around gems, even if they yo momma's friends."

"And vice versa for them around us since we eat rocks an all" Curly added.

"I understand. But is Connie okay?"

"That lil' human female? Welllll…okay. She can come" Mo agreed. "_Yea, sounds like she's the only one outta all of'em that treats Ste-bo right" _Curly whispered into his brother's ear.

"Cool! Alright Lion, let's go!" With that, he created a warp tunnel with his vocal chords and the duo disappeared into the diamond-dusted highway, leaving the brothers behind.

* * *

"…C'mon Curly" Mo said as he started walking towards the edge of the plateau.

"**mmph** Where we'z goin'?"

"To the gorge. I dun wanna miss when that sprout pops outta the ground"

"**mm hm** Right!" he agreed as they hopped down onto one of the lower stepping plateaus.

"Hey, lemme have one of them pretzels" Mo said but Curly shook his head no.

"…Please?" he remembered his manners.

"No can do bro. They all gone" Curly said as he showed him his empty paws.

"What?!"

"Early dog gets the core. You should've asked earlier" he replied with a cheeky grin.

"Grrrr…pretzel junkie"

"Takes one to know one" he slyly replied, almost daring his brother to keep going. Mo didn't have a comeback and just huffed through his nose.

Eventually they reached the floor, right next to the red path. "Y'know, I just thought of somethin'. Ste-bo needs to give a name to that place." Curly realized.

"He already did." Mo said.

"What? When?"

"As we wuz goin' through my secret stash together. He wuz tryin' to come up wit the right word to fit everythin' that happened to us, him, and the tree. Turnaround, recovery, change were some of the things he dun said, then I suggested **Uamsho**."

"**Revival**" Curly translated.

"Yep. He loved it and so do I. Whatchu think?" he asked.

Curly looked up at Ronidin's galaxy and stared at it for a minute. "It's perfect" he smiled and Mo replied, "Knew you'd like it. C'mon, let's start digging'"

With that the brothers cracked through the Earth's crust, traveling at high speeds, anxious to see the manifestation of their physical and mental revival.

* * *

_**Back at the Beach house…**_

The natural darkness engulfed the beach house. Steven laid in his bed wearing his banana pajamas, just staring at the ceiling. His mind kept on replaying the events of the enlightening day, with the mental video occasionally interrupted by the loud snores from his brother below. They managed to get back just before the gems got home and this time he was able to transform back to his normal self without waiting another twenty-four hours. When they asked him what he did today, he simply replied that he had made some new friends and hung out with them all day.

"_Inside myself…confidence…upendo…peace"_ were the only words that stood out prominently in his mind. "Mmmm…." he grunted as he turned to his side to look at his cookie cat clock. "1:00am" he mumbled.

He knew he needed to go to sleep, but how could anyone rest after going through all that? He grunted again and pulled the blanket over his head, hoping that cutting out the natural starlight and any other distracting objects could lull him to sleep.

Just as his droopy eyelids were about to shut for good, a familiar sound entered his ears. He uncovered his head just so one eye was peeking out and lo and behold the sound rang true. But what really surprised him was the one who caused the recognizable creak of the temple door.

"…_Pearl?!"_ he thought as he quickly covered his head back up before she entered his room. He could already hear Lion growling at her while she tried to shush him and plead her case for wanting to come in.

"_Why is she here?"_ he thought. Now granted if it was just to check on him that would be fine, but he knew her…or at least he **thought** he did. Everything that she did to him was still fresh in his mind, no matter how hard he tried to throw it out or…**repress it**...wait a second.

"_Inner peace!"_ he thought as realization after realization hit him. This is exactly what Mo and Curly did! They buried what happened to their brother for thousands of years and it hurt them to this day!

"…_Time for this volcano to cool"_ he thought as he concocted a plan, and his gem honored his hidden desire. Being mindful to cover up the light of his gem with morphing hands, he transformed back into a tunnel dog and hoped with all his might that she didn't see the shifting underneath his blanket. "_I hope this works…I'll apologize later"_

"Lion, please. I just want to check on him to make sure he's okay" Pearl whispered but the cranky guardian merely huffed through his nose, scoffing at her statement.

He kept on growling as if he was saying, "_I'm here aren't I? He doesn't __**need **__you._"

As if she read his mind she said, "I know you're here. I know you two have a special connection and that you know **way** more about him than I ever could…but please. This is the only time I can see him and not feel…**guilty**."

He let out a low roar and Pearl could take a hint. Tear drops started to form in her eyes and she pleaded, "I know I deserve it but…but…I don't want to accept it! I know it's selfish of me after what I've done, but I want things to be right between us and this is my way of working up to rebuilding the trust I destroyed. Please Lion…let me get close to him. Please?"

Lion stopped growling and stared at her. Then he looked up at the lump underneath the covers and how it was shifting around. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. He moved out of the way and went back to his cushy bed.

"T-Thank you" she said with a small smile as she wiped the moisture out of her eyes. She carefully made her way up the stairs (freezing for a few seconds when one of them creaked) to his loft and kneeled right next to the bed…just staring at the lump underneath the covers. She nervously wrung the end of her sash in her hands. She knew the risks of him waking up and how pathetic she must be for not even facing him when he's awake…but this is what made her comfortable. She knew had to break out of her comfort zone one day.

"_Steven. I…I wish I had an ounce of your courage_" she thought but she was snapped out of them when she heard mumblings from the sleeping boy. Instinctively she leaned in closer to hear clearer.

"…Pearl"

She immediately straightened up when she heard her name, but quickly realized he was dreaming.

"No…why don't you love me? What…do wrong…not mom…I'm sorry…please!"

If she had a heart…it would've been **crushed** into a million pieces when she heard his whimpering cry. She couldn't stop the waterfall from falling from her eyes.

"A nightmare…a nightmare about **me**" she sadly deduced.

She wanted to rip the blanket off of him and hug him, comfort him, even eat with him until the sun came up. But she couldn't. He already made it clear that he didn't trust her so all those actions would be meaningless in his sight. But that still didn't stop her vocal chords from acting up.

"S-Steven" she choked out. "It's not true. It's not true! You could never do anything wrong! You are the light of my life! I-I can't bear to see you like this…and it's all my fault. I'm so s-sorry for what I've done. I love you so much! I love you for **you**, just like I loved Rose for herself. P-please believe me. I love you with all of my gem. I can't live without you loving me back."

Her rambling was interrupted when his crying became more pronounced. She ran her hands through her droopy hair and thought, "_What am I saying?! He's suffering because of me and all I care about is myself! I'm so selfish!"_

With that she ran down the stairs and back into her room to just sit at the bottom of one of her water towers and drown in her sorrows.

Lion didn't even have a chance to lift his head up to see her sprinting towards her room because she was so fast.

"_What the?"_ he thought as he gazed upon the quivering lump on the bed. He climbed up and using his paw, he gently uncovered the boy. Needless to say he was surprised to see him as a tunnel dog again, but he shook that off when he saw the tear streaks down his muzzle. He let out a soft roar and Steven slowly opened his puffy eyes.

"L-Lion!" he cried as he grabbed his brother.

Lion was about to get out of his hold so he could crush Pearl's gem in his jaws, but he taken aback when he saw a big smile on Steven's face.

"It didn't twitch! My nose didn't t-twitch!" he happily choked out. Lion quirked one eyebrow up in confusion, signaling him to elaborate.

"Pearl was telling the truth! She **does **love me! She loves mom for mom and me for me. She separated me from her! I know because tunnel dogs can tell if someone is lying and she wasn't! My lava is cooling Lion! My lava is cooling" he cried as he buried his face in his mane.

It took a minute for him to put all of Steven's ramblings together as his body transformed, but once he did he couldn't help but show an understanding smile. He wrapped a paw around his now human form and held him close, being mindful not to accidentally pull him into the hidden dimension.

In this moment, he commended his little cub. He was the one who took the high road and continued to be understanding, defending and saying all the right things. But it was all teetering on an unstable mind plagued by that one worrisome thought. **It's one thing to say something, but it's another thing entirely to act upon it.** He knew confronting it directly would leave room for doubt in his mind, so he had no choice but to use his new abilities the way that he did.

Lion looked back at the door and stared at it for a bit before huffing through his nose. While he could understand her position a little bit better, there was still no sympathy for her. She brought this on herself, nothing could change that in his sight. In fact, if it wasn't for her tirade none of this would be happening to his little cub. But…that meant all of the **good things **as well.

Lion let out a long sigh. "_If every pork chop were perfect…we wouldn't have hot dogs"_ he thought.

Well…in the end all that mattered to him was that Steven got the answers he needed and it came in the most unexpected way. He finally got closure on one of the things pestering his mind, and in his opinion, the most **significant** one.

But he still had a long way to go before awakening his own upendo; outside influences can only do so much. And it would be at his own speed and no one else's.

* * *

_**Somewhere in space…**_

Conduit lines covered the exterior of the green, patella-shaped space craft as it silently sped through the cosmos.

"Navigator. Estimated arrival time to the fourth quadrant of the Solaris System. Planet: Earth" spoke the sole active occupant, and by default captain, of the interstellar stealth vessel.

"ETA… .25 of a deci-day. Equivalency in terms of Earth's rotations… one half of a rotation" the computerized voice answered.

A concealed grin appeared on the black gem's wrapped face as she left the bridge towards the spacious interior deck, decorated with the diamond's insignia on the floor. Pitch Black activated a holo-screen out of thin air and began pressing an assortment of buttons. When the correct sequence was pressed, a circle appeared on the floor in the middle of the diamond logo, releasing her inactive bubbled partner.

"…_Still can't believe I have to have an escort. Oh well…at least she'll serve as a decent distraction"_ she thought as circle on the floor closed up.

The yellow-tinted bubble floated towards her. She popped it using her long, thin index finger and caught the faceted stone in her hand.

"_Can't have you damaged now can I? …Not yet anyway"_ she thought as she watched the stone rise into the air, with shifting titanic forms surrounding it.

Pitch Black's eyes narrowed at what kind of gem she was "graciously" given. _"…I suppose it could've been worse"_ she thought as the titan of a gem let out a loud yawn, which could've been mistaken for a roar.

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground, impatiently waiting for her partner to quit stretching her arms and actually open her eyes. Once she did, she was startled for a brief moment when she didn't immediately recognize her surroundings.

"Wh-where am I?" she asked herself.

"You are on my stealth ship, generously given to me by the great Yellow Diamond" Pitch answered.

The giant gem looked down at the source of the voice and immediately gulped. "P-Pitch Black" she stuttered.

"In the flesh, so to speak. And while I do enjoy inflicting the strangling aura of fear, I need you to relax and pay attention!" she snapped and the frightened warrior stood tall and straight with her arms seemingly glued to her side.

"This mission, which was supposed to be routine for even the simplest of gems, is now of the upmost importance for Yellow Diamond. The previous team sent to complete the mission sent out a distress signal approximately ten deci-days ago. Now we have to clean up their mess and **eliminate** any future missteps" Pitch articulated as she paced around her partner, finally stopping right in front of her. The titanic bodyguard merely nodded in agreement not even daring to look her in the eye.

"Now listen carefully. This is what we're going to do…"

* * *

**Well, Steven got the help he needed, but who is "Navi"? And Pitch will arrive on Earth in 12 hours! Will Steven and gems be able to defeat her? And who's her partner? What about the rest of the tunnel dogs? Were they able to survive in their new home or are Curly and Mo really the last of their kind? Steven may have found closure, but will Pearl bounce back from that? So many questions before we hit part 6 of "One on One."  
**

**So who do you think Navi is? Interesting how she has a connection to Rose...**

**I based the tunnel dog transport off of the conditions of the slave ships( I learned a lot about that when I lived in Savannah, GA). Yea...wasn't exactly pleasant.**

**And I based the Ber tree off of the Indian Jujube plant. Works well in the desert actually. Thanks again so much for the support guys. I glad that this story has touched so many of you! Enjoy the new Steven episodes!  
**

**I don't own Steven Universe, the music catalogue from The Lion Guard nor The Lion King 1 1/2. Just my imaginative capabilities.**


	36. Chapter 36

"And this piece goes over here…and this one over here…aha! Done!" exclaimed the little green technician as she popped out of the cockpit. The rays of the afternoon sun reflected off the completed, shiny metal hull of one of the Turbo Moles.

"Great job everyone!" Garnet congratulated.

"BAM! That's how we roll!" Amethyst cheered.

"Roll? We're not rolling anywhere" Peridot pointed out.

"What Amethyst meant was that we were quick and efficient in our actions" Garnet clarified.

"Then why didn't you just say that in the first place?!" Peridot exasperated as she climbed out of the subterranean machine and landed on the ground.

"Ugh…just forget it" Amethyst replied.

"So when will we be able to test it out?" Lapis asked.

"Right now actually. During the trial run, we can see how quickly the motherboard sends out its signals to make sure the components react at the required speeds and that nothing's delayed. Then we need to check and make sure the inner lining of the laser canon can withstand the heat of the fire crystals. Then there's-"

"So basically make sure everything works. You could've just said that in the first place" Amethyst grinned.

Peridot puffed out her cheeks and countered, "…It was necessary to state the specifics so you'll be able to operate it correctly!"

Stars appeared in Amethyst's eyes and she asked, "I get to drive?!"

"**NO**" Garnet firmly denied.

"What? Why not?" she whined.

"Don't you remember that drag race crash in '52? Or the monster truck rally in '79? Or even what you did to Steven's little kazoo racers?" Garnet listed.

"Hey! That crash wasn't my fault! The dude didn't chicken out…crazy man. And monster trucks are supposed to smash stuff! And it was a baby war, you're supposed-"

"Enough. My decision is final" Garnet declared cutting her off.

Amethyst just crossed her arms and huffed. "…Fine. Whateves. Driving is boring anyway" she muttered.

"…Anyway, where's Pearl? While I am an expert technician, it never hurts to have a second pair of machine-savvy eyes" Peridot said, trying to get things back on track.

"Hey…now that you mention it, where'd Jasper go?" Amethyst asked.

"**It's training time"** Garnet stated and everyone froze for a bit.

"Already?" Peridot asked and Garnet nodded her head.

"And you're absolutely sure that nothing **bad** will happen?" Lapis asked.

"Bad depends on your perspective. But no, nothing like **Dark Stevonnie** will happen. In fact…" Garnet readjusted her shades and finished, "it'll be a very _short_ training session. We'll see them soon enough."

* * *

The chill of a passing breeze underneath the forest canopy shifted the leaves, causing the rays that managed to penetrate the barrier to be temporarily dispersed across the landscape. The slight light redirection caused a multitude of vibrant colors to pop out in the natural spotlight; it was truly a sight to behold. But for one gem, the only thing that caught her attention was the soil caking her light blue shoes.

"…_I guess I'm in good company if dirt still wants to be around me" _Pearl solemnly thought as she slowly trudged across the forest floor towards the crystalline warp pad.

She was taken out of her despairing state of mind when her training partner yelled, "C'mon Pearl! We're gonna be late! Didn't you say that promptness was a good trait to possess?"

Pearl sluggishly lifted her head up and managed to make out through her blurry eyes the orange figure that was far ahead of her. "…_I shouldn't have said anything at all!"_

Suddenly, her eyes couldn't hold back the water and she wailed from the top of her illusionary lungs before collapsing to the green carpet underneath her.

"Pearl?!" Jasper shouted as she ran back towards the distressed gem. She kneeled down next to her and asked, "Hey, what's wrong? Did something attack you?" All she got for a response was her shaking her head, coating her face with dew-covered grass blades.

Jasper growled in frustration and gently, _well…gentle by her standards_, pulled her off the ground by the back of her shirt.

"No! I don't want to go! Just leave me here to erode!" she cried as she flailed about, almost hitting Jasper in the face with a nice left hook.

"Hey! You're not the only one that doesn't want to do this you know!" she shouted, causing Pearl to cease her thrashing and actually look at her. "Look, we screwed up okay?! But like they said, just because we made a **really** bad mistake, doesn't mean we're going to be bad forever! I know I'm not! Well…not anymore. I mean, I thought I was good until I learned what the diamonds we're doing was bad and that made bad by association but…GAH! Point is, I failed my mission to train Steven and keep him safe. But now I have a chance to redeem myself in his eyes. It's not like back on home world where if you fail a mission, you basically wait around while they decide your fate. And nine times out of ten you're broken for your failure."

"My fate has already been sealed" Pearl muttered.

"What?" Jasper asked.

"I blew it. I really **really** blew it. There's no way in the world that Steven would ever love me let alone trust me again!" she cried.

"So what? You're just gonna give up?! What happened to not giving in to stinkin' thinkin'? How do you know if you don't even try to make it better? **Do you want another one of those monsters to come out of him?!**" she countered.

"It's not stinkin' thinkin' if it's the truth!" Pearl yelled back. "You weren't there! You don't know! You didn't hear what I heard!"

"Then enlighten me" Jasper said as she carefully dropped her to the ground with a soft **plop**. She sat on the ground Indian-Style right next to her and waited for her to compose herself long enough to articulate her thoughts.

"**hic** L-Last night… I went into his r-room to be near him."

"What? Didn't he say that he didn't want you to watch him sleep?" Jasper reminded.

"Y-Yes, but I couldn't help myself!" Pearl explained.

"Sounds like an excuse to me. You consciously made the decision to go in there" Jasper countered.

"Fine! Maybe it is, but I needed to be near him! It's the only time I can see him and not feel…**guilty**. That's my way of working up to rebuilding the trust I destroyed. I'm…I'm not as courageous as him. Or you for that matter. Even though you're scared about facing him and Connie in that kind of setting, you still push through. I-I can't" she lamented.

"…First off, I'm **not** scared. Uneasy yea, but not scared. Second, of course I push through. I'm a warrior, we shrug off one battle and move on to the next one. But if there's **anything** that I've picked up from being back here on this planet…being with Steven…is that everyone has a different way of doing things. You know? If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs. Strive to be a better you through unexpected ways. I'm the "face you head on" type of warrior while you're the stealth kind. Nothing wrong with that" Jasper explained.

"But I want to face him head on! Well…not like that but you know what I mean! But I can't! Not after what I saw…what I heard I should say" Pearl clarified.

"…Well? What did you hear?" Jasper asked.

"H-He was underneath the blanket…and he was crying. He was crying because he was having a nightmare…about **me**. I could only make out some of his words, but they still keep replaying in my mind."

"_Pearl…no…why don't you love me? What…do wrong…not mom…I'm sorry…please!"_

"I mean you saw it yourself when he was a lion cub. He was hesitant to even let me hold him. I know he told me it was because he didn't want to get fur on me, and I believe him. But…what if he felt that way because he didn't want me to get mad again? To yell about him again? **H-He's s-scared of me** and I hate it! It feels like I'm one of those negativity monsters! How could anyone, let alone him, possibly love someone like me?!" she cried as she buried her face in her hands.

Impulsively, Jasper grabbed her and held her against her body in a warm embrace. Pearl was stiff for a brief moment, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"The same way he could love someone who nearly beat him to death" Jasper answered. "He told me back in Rose's room that everyone deserves to be loved. If he can care about a "_bad home world gem_", then I'm sure he still cares about you too."

Pearl's eyes widened at that statement. Soon more tears silently spilled out of her sockets as she clung to the massive gem for dear life.

Jasper softly, yet awkwardly, patted the sobbing gem's back and continued talking, "It'll just take some time before he **truly** believes that you care about him too. I know it did for me when he let me out of the bubble and stopped Copy Rose. It wasn't until he held me like this that everything just…clicked. But it still took some getting used to…I mean it still is. All this **love** stuff…not having it hurts more than anything Yellow Diamond could ever do to me. And **you know** that she's capable of some tortuous stuff."

Pearl nodded in her head against her chest in agreement with that notion.

"Steven has always been our support, fountain, rubber band or whatever you want to call it. Point is, even he gets worn out. He already forgave us, that means he ain't bringing up anymore and neither should we. It happened, we learn from it and move on" Jasper finished.

"B-But it hurts" Pearl choked out.

"Course it does! It's just like letting your guard down in a fight and getting sucker punched right in your gem. It's gonna hurt like crag in the beginning, but eventually it'll subside. Then you learn from your mistakes, change your tactics and adapt if the need arises. You've already done that after blowing up on him…twice. You're already starting to see **him** instead of Rose. Now you need to fill him up with your love, just like I need to do. And we can't do that being bitter little sad sacks, right?" she asked.

Pearl slowly got her head off of her chest looked into her honey yellow eyes.

"But ultimately it's your call. So…what're going to do? Just sit here and cry about it or be the warrior you were **meant** to be and fight for him? You've been doing it so far, so why stop now?" Jasper asked.

Pearl stared at her for a few seconds before wiping the tears out of her eyes. "I understand. I need Steven just as much as he needs me. I can't give up. I WON'T give up!" she declared and Jasper showed a smug grin.

"Good. I thought I might've had to knock you upside the head a few time to make sure it got through that thick gem of yours" she said and Pearl chuckled at that.

Jasper helped the still shaken gem to her feet and asked, "Ready to do this, **warrior **Pearl?" and Pearl responded with a quick nod. "Then let's go" she said and they continued their now brisk walk towards the warp pad.

"…H-Hey Jasper?"

"Yea?"

"…Thank you. I-I really needed that" Pearl said with a slight blush.

"Y-yea…well, don't mention it. Besides…that's just what a family do, right?" asked Jasper.

"Heh…you're right! And…just so you know, I think you're a stronger warrior now than you we're before. Tough on the outside yet soft on the inside. Almost like how Rose wanted Lion to be for Steven, a powerful protector with approachable fluffiness. The perfect balance!" Pearl praised.

That made Jasper's long hair spike up for a brief moment before she stuttered, "Th-thanks. _Don't know about the fluffiness part though but either way._ I mean I still don't know what I'm saying half the time. I mean I do but I'm also copying some of Steven's words. It makes sense to me and if it does to you then that's a bonus. Wait, no! I mean…GAH! Just forget it!" as she stomped off a little further ahead of her. Pearl quietly chuckled at the suddenly non-articulate gem as she caught up.

Soon the duo arrived at the warp pad just outside the entrance to the kindergarten. However, Pearl didn't make a move to step onto the crystalline portal.

Jasper turned her head and saw her looking down at her shuffling feet while nervously wringing the end of her sash. It didn't take a genius to tell that she was still nervous about the training session.

Instinctively, Jasper reached her hand out to her. Pearl looked at the striped hand offered to her then up at her soft, understanding gaze. "C'mon Pearl, it's now or never" she said.

"B-But"

"**Pearl**." Jasper firmly said, cutting off her rambling doubts. "It doesn't matter if they want to train with us or even be around us. If not today, then tomorrow. Not tomorrow then next week. Time never really mattered to us anyway. No matter how long it takes, we have to show that we're here for them. Once they see that we're not giving up, then we'll start training. And when they realize that we're training them effectively while still keeping them safe, that'll make them trust us again. That'll get rid of any fears and doubts they had towards us. **Towards you**."

Pearl smiled and nodded her head. She placed her hand in Jasper's massive palm and both of them stepped onto the warp pad.

"…Thank you" Pearl said as she squeezed Jasper's hand a little tighter as the warp stream surrounded them.

"N-No problem. But don't you dare tell Amethyst about this! I'll never hear the end of it!" warned Jasper.

"I promise" she swore. "And for what it's worth…I think you are becoming more like **him**, but in your own way. And I like it."

"Alright jeez! Knock it off already! Wait…no I didn't mean it like that! I meant…grrrr! Look, it just makes me feel…weird inside. Right here" Jasper tried to explain as she pointed to her abdomen.

Pearl chuckled and explained, "That just means you like it when someone compliments you. It makes you happy."

"…So it's like the body's way of displaying our ultimate compatibility glow?" she asked.

"In a way…yes" she agreed while desperately trying to keep her cheeks from becoming blue tinted.

"…Interesting. I mean I've gotten good marks back on home world, but I didn't feel anything. Whenever Steven says anything like that, I feel warm and then start glowing automatically. When you say it, I feel all jittery…like something's hopping around inside of me. So why is it different with **you**?" she asked.

"I…I…" Pearl's mouth just hung open as she tried to come up with the right way to explain this phenomenon. "Ask Garnet" she finally said as she turned her head away from the confused gem to seemingly stare at something interesting outside the fractal stream.

"…Oookay?" Jasper said as she quirked one eyebrow up, then looked down at her hand that was still nestled comfortably in her palm. "_…It's warm"_ she observed.

Soon the warp stream deposited them in the beach house, but they quickly noticed that it was empty.

Jasper immediately let go of Pearl's hand and called out, "Steven? Steven?!" She started running her hands through her hair as her panic levels started to rise.

"_Note! Maybe he left note"_ she thought as she tore through the room. But there wasn't even a scrap of tissue to be found in the previously pristine area. "Where is he?!" she shouted.

Instinctively, Pearl checked the temple door. "The temple isn't on lock down." Then she closed her eyes and a small glow appeared inside her gem. "And Rose's door hasn't been activated recently."

"How do you know that?" Jasper asked.

"…Special connection" she simply replied and Jasper got the message.

"This isn't like him. He knows when training time is and he's always here!" Jasper growled out as she paced around the living room.

Suddenly a sickening scenario entered Pearl's mind. "What…what if he **ran** **away**?" she whispered, but the tiger-striped gem still heard it.

"No…he wouldn't have" she quietly countered.

"Yes he could've! He was scared about today! And it's all my fault! He's-"

"**Oh no you're not!**" shouted Jasper as she forcibly grabbed Pearl's hand. She held her up and yelled, "We are **not** going not going through this again! We're going to find him, and if he wants to be alone then fine!" while poking her chest.

Pearl quickly nodded before Jasper ran out the door, pulling her along as well. Thankfully, they didn't have to go very far.

Once they were out on the porch, they heard the familiar sound of his guitar from the peak of the hill. Jasper let go of her hand and leaned against the rail of the deck whereas Pearl held her hand to her rapidly beating chest.

"…He was outside" Pearl breathed in relief. "Why didn't we think of that in the first place?"

"We we're scared" Jasper answered. Pearl looked incredulously at her.

"…What? He's my little cub alright?! I can't help reacting this way! Especially after **everything! **I don't even know why I do. I mean I know he can take care of himself, but it's just-"

"Jasper" Pearl said cutting her off as she put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. You don't need to explain anything. You care about Steven because you love him, simple as that. S-sorry for staring at you like that. I was just surprised that you actually said you were **scared.** You're just…so composed and confident all the time…not like me" she finished as she looked at the floor boards.

"…Not all the time. You saw me lose it a couple of times, so we're more alike than you think. Heh…I should be thankful that you already somewhat forgot how I treated you earlier" Jasper said.

"Well…it was my fault for instigating it. And even when you were like **that,** you still stuck to your guns so to speak and continued to exude your confident aura. Of course in my past state of mind it came across as arrogant, but you could back it up with action" Pearl explained.

"Yea…I guess. I mean, I had no choice but to be composed and confident. That's how I always was back home. Like I said, "_A clear mind wins the fight_." And that's the only thing quartzes are good for anyway is fighting."

"…It was your shield!" Pearl realized.

"Yep. Sometimes I was scared out of my gem, but I didn't show it nor let anyone see it. So having this new "fluffy side" as you call it will take some getting used to. But I'll get that perfect balance eventually. So long as I have him and you guys providing me with the strength and motivation to win" she said and Pearl nodded in agreement.

"C'mon, we've got a mission to complete" Jasper stated.

Both of them went down the stairs and walked along the sand. They didn't want to accidentally startle him by hopping up the statue side of the hill and possibly landing behind him. And truthfully, Pearl was glad for the slight detour towards the inevitable meeting.

* * *

**_Meanwhile…_**

The sound of slow flamenco guitar music charged the still air around the two different siblings.

Steven laid his head against Lion's body with his eyes closed while the feline protector had his head up on high alert, both of them awaiting the arrival of the training participants. The purposeful plucks of each string orchestrated the swirling emotions going on inside of the young boy's mind.

But just like the rhythmical _golpe_ serving as an effective bass for the melody, a familiar voice helped steady his thoughts.

"Navi? Are…are you there?"

"_I'm here Steven. Like I said, nothing will break our link."_

"Good" he sighed in relief. "…I know you said I have to take my time and go at my own pace…but I'm still nervous about how the others will react. I-I don't want to let anyone down."

"_Steven, the only one you have to concern yourself with is __**yourself**__. You're still putting the needs of others above your own well-being, and I'm in no way condemning you for that. That's one of the qualities on your sheet of paper that makes you charming. But…if you let yourself down then you'll let everyone else down in the process. You already know what you need to do. And I believe you'll be surprised at the results you obtain"_ Navi finished before fading away like the final note.

"…_Whatever happens, don't let go of my hand" _he softly sung as he gradually opened his eyes, allowing the sunlight to reflect off of his black pupils.

He got up off of Lion's body, put the guitar back in his mane and stretched his arms up. "Hrrrrmmmm!" he grunted as he shook his muscles out. But his stretching session was cut short when he heard Lion growl.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

All of a sudden, Lion stopped his intimidating noises and their question was answered when they heard a welcoming voice.

"STEVEN!" Connie yelled as she came into view. Steven smiled and waved at the oncoming girl.

She threw her duffle bag on the ground and continued running towards them, however her excitement didn't cause her to slow down. Luckily Lion got out of the way in time before she accidentally tackled Steven to the ground in a hug.

"OOOF!" he grunted.

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm sorry!" Connie profusely apologized as she got up off of him. "I heard guitar music and I knew it was you. Then I remembered how your music draws out negativity monsters so when the music stopped, I thought you were trouble so I ran here as fast as I could. But you're okay and I was just so happy that…well…" Connie trailed off as she looked at the ground.

It took a moment for Steven decipher her rambling explanation, but once he did he let out a hearty chuckle. "I'm fine. Besides, you know me. I never say no to a hug! Well…unless the hugger is really stinky, but that's the only time" he explained and Connie giggled at that.

"Sorry I'm late. The bus seemed to get every red light imaginable" Connie explained as she brushed the grass blades off of him.

"You're not late. I was just…calming my mind before Pearl and Jasper got here" Steven explained.

"…St-Steven? Are you…I mean actually I was"

But her question stayed in her throat when a gruff voice shouted, "STEVEN! CONNIE!"

The children looked over and saw Jasper and Pearl walking up the hill, the former giving them an awkward wave whereas the latter put on the biggest smile she could muster(which was still pretty small).

"_Wow… how serendipitous. But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised"_ Steven thought.

Lion made his opinion about the situation known when he started snarling at the two instructors. Connie wasn't faring any better as she took a big gulp and clenched her fists.

"Guys" Steven whispered and they gave him their attention. "It'll be okay" he assured with his genuine toothy smile, baffling the two of them.

He got up and walked over towards them to meet them halfway. Connie blinked a couple of times before she got out of her stupefied state and both she and Lion followed after him.

When they came face to face with each other, that awkward distrustful silence enveloped them like an unbearable heatwave.

"H-Hello there you two" Pearl tried to jovially articulate in order to break the tension and also alleviate the knot in her stomach.

"…Hey Pearl. Hey Jasper" Steven quietly responded.

Pearl's pointy hairstyle drooped a little when she heard his timid reply. Combined with Lion's hostile glare as well as Connie's defending, cross-armed body position…it almost dissolved her resolve and sent her running back into the temple for good. The only thing that made stay was Jasper's unwavering determination. Plus since she was right next to her, she could grab her before she even had the chance.

"Sorry we're late. Some…_things_ needed to be dealt with" Jasper explained.

"It…It's okay. Connie just got here too. And I was just playing my guitar and…thinking" Steven replied.

"…I see. Well, now that we're here…you guys ready to start training?" she asked.

A quiet qualm surrounded them as everyone's attention focused on Steven. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his own jittery nerves.

"**No"** he firmly responded.

"Wh-what?" Pearl stuttered.

"I'm not ready to train" he repeated.

"…Oh! Of course you're not" Pearl said relieved. "You're still in your t-shirt and jeans. We can wait while you get changed into your training clothes" she offered.

But Steven shook his head and clarified, "You don't need to wait because I'm not changing. I'm **not** going to train with you guys." Everyone stared at him wide-eyed with shock, but Pearl's eyes had some moisture in them.

"I've…I've been thinking about it a lot and I'm just not comfortable training together yet. I'm sorry you guys came out here for nothing, but th-that's **my call** and I'm sticking to it. I-I have to go at my own pace and t-take my time with this. But I will be ready…one day. Just not **today" **he finished.

A small smile crossed Lion's muzzle, completely proud of him for being so brave in this situation. Standing up to authority figures, let alone your own family, isn't easy. The gems **should** know that for sure.

Steven released a long exhale that he didn't even know he was holding and turned his attention to Connie. "I'm so sorry Connie. I should've called you. B-But I just figured this outjust before you got here and-"

"Steven, you don't have to apologize! You don't have to push yourself for anyone!" she assured as she held his hand.

"**She's **right" Jasper spoke, garnering everyone's attention. "If you're not ready, then you're not ready. Simple as that. We won't push you into doing something just for us. **Never again**" she emphasized.

She looked at her hand before clenching it into a fist and exhaling. "Steven…you're not nothing. You're **everything**. You take your time and know that we'll always be here for you, no matter what. And Connie, that goes for you too" she said and Pearl could only nod in agreement, not trusting her emotionally faltering voice to say anything.

Steven showed a small smile and said, "Thanks you guys."

"That's just what a **family** do, right?" Jasper asked.

"Right!" he responded.

"Right. Well…we better get going. There's still clusters that need to be dealt with" Jasper said as gently grabbed Pearl's hand and led the heart-broken gem down the hill.

"WAIT!" Steven shouted before they got too far.

They stopped in their tracks and before they could ask what was wrong, he gave them each a big ol' hug wherever he could reach, with Pearl's lasting a little bit longer.

Connie couldn't help but gawk at the scene in front of her (even the gems were caught off guard) but she internally chastised herself and closed her gaping mouth before Steven could see her expression.

"Promise me you'll be safe?" he asked as he backed up.

Jasper smiled and put her fist to her chest. "Quartz honor" she replied.

Pearl on the other hand banished all her crippling inhibitions, reached out and grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug.

"I PROMISE!" she cried a little louder than intended, but she couldn't stop the flood of emotions from coming out through her voice. For her…it wasn't just a promise to be safe. In those two high pitched words, she promised that she would always be there for him, to love and comfort him, to learn from her mistakes and most importantly, **never** make him cry again. Unless it was tears of joy, and that's exactly what she drenched Steven's red t-shirt with. She was **beyond** happy. With that small act and tiny request, it was crystal clear in her sight that he **did** care about her and she'd be broken if she did anything to betray that last sliver of trust within him.

After a few moments, she released him and saw how big the wet spot on his shoulder actually was. "S-Sorry" she apologized as she wiped her eyes.

"It's okay. I've got plenty of shirts" he assured with a small smile.

Pearl returned the gesture and nodded before rejoining Jasper's side. "See you tonight little cub" Jasper called out.

"Okay!" he called back.

As they turned to leave, Pearl whispered to Jasper, "_You were right."_

The fluffy warrior nodded and replied, "_Like Steven said, love is patient, kind and never fails._" Soon the two gems were out of sight.

* * *

Connie walked up to her friend and grabbed his hand. "Steven…" she said as she tightened her grip. "That was so brave!" she praised.

"Really?" he asked.

"Of course it was! I know it's hard for me when I have to talk to mom or dad about serious things. And…I'm actually glad that you said you weren't ready because…I-I wasn't either" she admitted.

"Really?!" he incredulously asked and Connie silently nodded her head yes.

"But you said I shouldn't push myself for anyone. So why were you willing to do it?" he countered.

"I…I didn't want to let you down. You were so strong when you got rid of those bad thoughts when we were fused…I just wanted to be at your level. But I guess I have to get there first and I thought-"

"Connie" Steven said as he grabbed her shoulders. "Everyone grows at different speeds. You don't have to push yourself to reach my level. I don't even know what level I'm at!" he chuckled.

"I think I might still be a starter just going into my second evolution but anyway. You do you and I'll do me. I'll be the lion and you be the owl."

"And together we'll be the gryphon" she finished.

"Yea!" he shouted pumping his fist into the air.

"…What's a gryphon?" he asked.

Connie giggled at that and explained, "It's a mythical animal with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Only in our case it'd be the head and wings of an owl."

"Soo cool!" he marveled.

"Oh Steven…" she simply said before giving him a hug – silently conveying all of her gratitude towards him. Lion joined in on it too and nuzzled his head against their bodies.

Soon the intimate caresses ended and the children sat on the ground with Lion serving as their body pillow.

"So…what now?" she asked and Steven just shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you up to training together? Just the two of us?" she suggested.

"Like fused into Stevonnie or fighting against each other?" he asked.

"Um…whatever you want. It's up to you" she said.

"…I'd rather not do any fighting if that's alright. Seems like for these past two days all I've been doing is fighting, and I'm kinda worn out" he replied.

"Fighting what?" Connie asked.

So once again Steven played the role of storyteller, but at least this time it wasn't as long of a tale to recount. He told her everything, from the adventure with Lion all the way to meeting Curly, Mo and Navi and finally getting some closure concerning Pearl.

"…Steven. I…I don't even know what to say" Connie stuttered.

"It's a lot to take in. I'm still figuring things out myself. But some good things came out of it. At least I'm not **alone** in this and that I have two people, well…my animal brother and a voice in my head, that I can relate to" he replied.

"Yea. I-I just wish I could help you out more" she lamented.

"Connie" Steven slightly laughed. "You're my best friend in the whole world! Just being there for me is more than I could ever ask for" he finished.

Connie smiled at that and nodded her head. "So who do you think Navi is? Could she really be one of your past lives like Mo said?" she asked.

"I have no idea…but there's something oddly familiar about her voice. I mean I've heard her before without even knowing it was her. I still don't know if it's a girl, but when I keep talking to her it just feels…**normal**. I don't know how else to explain it. It's like being with my mom but it's not mom. Sorry, I'm not making any sense" he apologized.

"No, no! I get it. I wonder though…" she thought aloud.

"Wonder what?" he asked.

"Maybe it's like this character from a cartoon that I watch when my parents aren't around. She had to master all four elements: fire bending, water bending, earth bending and air bending in order to protect the world. And she had an animal guide too, but hers was a big polar bear dog" she described.

"We're they siblings? Like me and Lion?"

"Uh…no. It was more along the lines of Lisa and Archimicarus, without the animal familiar turning into a human and getting married. But that's beside the point. She mastered her powers, had help from her friends and teachers, and she even talked to her past lives to help her beat up the bad guys. Er…I guess they weren't **bad** per say. They were **unbalanced**. They took their ideals to the extreme and ended up hurting a lot of innocent people in the process" she tried to explain.

"…_Kinda sounds like home world and how the diamonds run things there. And I guess in their sight what my mom did was unbalanced as well_" Steven pondered before he closed his eyes for a couple minutes.

"…Steven?" Connie called. No response. "Steven!" she shouted again and slightly shook him.

"Hmmm?" he uttered as he lazily opened his eyes.

"Sorry, I-I wasn't sure if…I mean"

"Oh…sorry about that. Guess I kinda zoned out there. But I'm okay. I was just thinking about something, but I'll need ask Navi about it later. I already have enough going on in my head right now. But she was right. I was surprised at how things turned out. It was a lot better than I thought it was going to be" he explained.

"Steven, I'm sorry you have to go through this. I thought having a huge magical destiny would be awesome-"

"And it is" he said cutting her off. "I wouldn't change any of this for the world! Sure it's hard now, but it'll be great in the end when all the hard stuff becomes super easy. It's like you when you first learned how to play tennis or the violin and now you're a pro!"

"…I guess that's true" she accepted.

"But it sounds like me and this character you're talking about have a lot in common" he said.

"Yea. Even two of her friends are brothers whose parents were killed by a fire bender" she added.

"Almost like Curly and Mo. …Weird. **My life is a cartoon**" he commented.

"More like a cartoon is loosely based on your life" she corrected.

"Yea. I guess my healing spit would count as water bending. Me turning into a tunnel dog would could count as earth bending. Lion controls the air since he can roar, but I don't think I can shoot out fire"

"You never know. With all of your awakening powers, it wouldn't surprise me if you could breathe fire" Connie replied.

"Hey yea…you're right! That'd be so cool, we could roast marshmallows whenever we wanted! Mmmm…ooey-gooey and toasty. Lion, did mom-"

Before he could even finish his question, Lion looked at him from the corner of his eye and grunted before closing it again. "…Guess that's a no" he sighed.

"Heh, that's okay. Y'know, fire bending isn't just about shooting out flames. In the show, the original fire benders learned the true meaning of it; it's energy and life. Like the sun" she explained.

"Sun?" Steven asked.

"Mm hm. The sun gives out energy and life to plants and vitamin D to us. So…in way your plant powers are like a form of fire bending too since they rely on you to give them life. And not just them, but everyone you meet" she clarified.

"Because we're the light! Just like you said, it protects us in the dark and comforts us with its warmth" he repeated.

But Connie shook her head and corrected, "Um…I said you're like a flame and that you make things brighter wherever you go."

"Eh, it's all the same to me and I was able to make that connection because of you!" he praised.

Connie blushed from the compliment and both of them sunk deeper into Lion's body.

"…Now I just need my flame to burn away all of this…this…" Steven gestured with his hands up to the air before sighing.

"This what?" she asked.

"It's not fear…or maybe it is. I don't know, but I don't want it to be. I mean I know **now** that Pearl cares about me, but…the whole uneasiness about training with them was only a tiny part of why I didn't want to do it today" he tried to articulate.

"So…what **is** the main reason?" Connie asked.

"…**Y-You"** he hesitantly answered.

"Me?"

"Well…us. Stevonnie I mean. I-I didn't want whatever was going on in my head to affect you, have Dark Stevonnie come back and then end up like the version in my nightmare" he explained.

"Steven, it wasn't your fault that we turned into that! I caused it too. I-I was just so **mad** at them for hurting you like that all over again. And I won't lie…I was really **shocked **that you actually hugged them. I-I know its wrong…but I wanted them to hurt for a long time as punishment for what they did to you. But…after thinking about it, it's no different than when my mom or dad does something that upsets me. After my blood stops boiling and I calm down, I realize that I could never hate them because of all the good things they've done for me. Same thing with you and your family. Just like you said, one bad thing doesn't make'em bad forever unless they choose to be that way forever. _But_ _they're still on thin ice_" she silently added but Steven heard her anyway.

"Yea…that's fair" he agreed.

"What? Wait no I mean-"

"Connie it's okay. Thanks for looking out for me. I'm still on guard and that's probably another reason why I'm a bit hesitant about fusing. **sigh** I just wish I could fuse with someone so I could test it out before I get back into fusing for **real**. Wait…no…that sounds wrong. Using someone like that, that's selfish! GAH! If only I could fuse with _myself_, then I'd know for sure that it was safe. But there's only one of me" he despondently sighed.

"And I'm glad there is" Connie said as she grabbed his hand again.

"Huh?"

"Because if there wasn't **one**, then there'd be **none**. And I wouldn't have a friend, let alone a best friend. Lion wouldn't have a brother. Lapis, Peridot…even Jasper wouldn't know what love was and would still be miserable back on home world. And Mo and Curly wouldn't have a new pebble pack member" she listed and Steven smiled at that.

"You always know how to cheer me up" he said.

"Well…I learned from the best" she winked at him and both of them started laughing. "So no more worrying about fusion, okay? It'll happen when it's the right time, just like it happened with us" she assured and Lion mirrored that same sentiment, but with a very loud roar.

"Lio-Ooof!"

Steven's question was cut short when both of them fell to the floor when Lion stood up all of a sudden. When they sat up and faced him, they saw that his eyes were glowing. But this time it was a shade of apple red.

"Whoa!" Connie exclaimed.

"L-Lion? Are you okay bud?" Steven asked but all he got for a response was four paw stomps on the ground with his right front paw. Steven quirked one eyebrow up when Lion repeated the same motion with a slight pause in between each set.

"One…two…three…four…four what?" he asked. Lion huffed and stomped a little harder.

"…Wait! Steven, it's one…two…three…four. One…two…three…four" she extenuated by clapping her hands.

"…It's a beat!" he realized.

"But why is he doing this all of a sudden?" she asked.

"…_No way"_ Steven thought. "Lion, d-do you want to fuse with me?" he asked.

Lion gave a quick nod before resuming the beat so he could get his own "funky flow" going.

"…THAT'S IT!" Connie exclaimed.

"Wh-what's it?" Steven asked.

"You can fuse with yourself because-"

"Lion and I share mom's gem!" he finished, but then asked, "Lion? Are you sure you want-"

Lion let out another loud roar, cutting him off and effectively banishing all of Steven's worries for good. He sniffed back some tears and smiled, "Thanks bro. Okay! Let's get the right song!"

He took his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his music library. "_Who knew he liked fast songs"_ he thought.

"Hmmm…ah ha!" Steven chose a medium paced Spanish guitar song and asked, "How about this one?"

Lion growled in agreement and started to tap both of his front paws to the beat.

"_Awwwwwesoooome_!" he silently squealed before asking, "Connie, can you hold onto this please?"

"Sure" she agreed as she grabbed his phone. She turned the volume all the way up and stepped back to give the tango brothers plenty of space. She sat down and watched them with diamond studded eyes.

Steven's side-jumping jack like steps synched up with Lion's as both of them inched closer to each other. Lion started swishing his tail side to side to the rhythm of guitar crescendo while Steven followed suit by moving his arms in cohesive and fluid movements – even adding some clapping. Both of them shook their respective manes side to side. As the song reached its apex, Steven spun right into Lion and he caught him in his "adorable trap", enveloping them in a blinding pink light.

Connie had to shield her eyes with her arm as the energy waves created a wind stream that billowed through her hair. She managed to crack one eye open to see the massive being taking form within the metamorphosis beacon.

"**RRRRROOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRR!"**

An ear-splitting, earth-shaking roar shattered the concealing curtain of light into little star-shaped fragments, revealing the titanic feline form of the improbable fusion.

Connie had to hold onto the grass so she wouldn't be blown away by the sheer vocal force exuded from the powerful being.

Any normal person would've either fled in terror or would've done a horror movie move and investigated the source of the bestial call. But the citizens of beach city took it in stride, equating it to another "gem thing" and figured the gems would handle it.

Unfortunately…they were right.

* * *

**A Steven/Lion fusion. Good for them but not so good for six gems who constantly think about Steven's well-being, and that unknown noise will undoubtedly raise their panic levels. How will the gems react when they see the improbable fusion? Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of "One on One" which should be up by Friday. **

**If this scenario sounds a little familiar, it's because I based it off of my other story "A Lion's Heart." Will it follow the same pattern? You'll have to wait and see ;). And I'll let you guys decide on Pearl and Jasper's relationship. I have my own idea, but all art is a statement up for intrepratation(thank you dog copter).  
**


	37. Chapter 37

"C'mon, c'mon! Can't this stupid warp go any faster!?" Jasper yelled as the extended family floated in the luminescent fractal stream.

The echoes of the fusion's roar traveled for miles across the tristate area, eventually reaching the secluded building site. Once the gems heard it and Garnet pinpointed the source of the sound, needless to say their panic meters shot all the way through the stratosphere.

Amethyst gripped onto her whip as she impatiently ground her teeth together. Tiny electrical pulses flowed through Peridot as she gnawed on one of her fingers while looking at her holo-screen to possibly determine what kind of creature could've made that sound.

Garnet merely had her arms crossed – her face the perfect picture of stone-cold stoicism, which didn't ease Lapis' building anxiety. She pursed her lips together so as not to let any doubt roll off of her tongue.

"_Fear is the belief in the worst possible outcome… Fear is the belief in the worst possible outcome…Steven is FINE!" _she mentally chanted as she rubbed her temples.

On the other hand…Pearl was just mentally checked out. Although her eyes were pupil-less, it didn't prevent her from seeing self-generated mind movies of Steven in every kind deadly scenario imaginable.

Soon (not soon enough in their opinion) the stream deposited them in the silent house.

"LET'S MOVE!" Jasper yelled as she ran through the doorway. Everyone followed suit but Garnet had to hoist a fainted Pearl over her shoulder. It didn't matter if they hopped or flew up the temple side of the mountain, they reached the peak of the cliff side in record time. That's when they beheld the shaded backside of the titanic creature.

"_What the heck is that THING?!"_ was the collective thought of all the gems, but they snapped out it once they heard a high-pitched scream.

"_CONNIE!"_ they realized. Just before they could pummel the beastly monster, Garnet stretched her arms out and grabbed them; she had to extend three fingers in order to grab Lapis by the waist since she was airborne.

Before the squirming mass could question her sanity, another high-pitched sound filled the air. This time it was _laughter_.

"…**HUH?"** they all uttered and Garnet merely smiled. Then they saw the hairy being crouch down and pick up the giggling girl before doing a quick twirl. Now that the paranoia had been more or less dispelled, Garnet carefully released them; thankfully they managed to stay on their feet.

"C'mon. Let's go meet our new family member" Garnet causally said as she carried the unconscious Pearl and walked up to the chuckling duo.

"NEW FAMILY MEMBER?!" they exclaimed. Everyone looked at each other before treading cautiously behind their composed leader. Once they got in a position with better lighting, all of them gasped in shock. They couldn't believe their bulging eyes.

"Hello there!" Garnet called out.

"Hm?" came the response of the strikingly familiar-looking animal humanoid. It turned around with Connie on its shoulder and beheld the gawking gems below it. A saber-toothed grin formed on his lips as it spoke in a deep, silky voice "Hey guys! Wait…what's the matter with Pearl? Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine…however she'll definitely want to see this" Garnet answered. She sent a small spark of electricity out of her sapphire-embedded hand and Pearl woke up with a start.

"What the-? AHHHHH!" she screamed when she beheld the furry being above her. "WHAT IS THAT THING?!"

"Not a "what" but "who" Garnet clarified.

"H-Huh?" she stuttered as she was placed on her wobbly legs.

"…S-Steven? Is that you?" Lapis asked for the stunned group as she flew up to get a better look at his face.

"Kinda. Lion and I fused! How cool is that?!" he exclaimed with starry eyes.

The new fusion was as tall as Opal and sported the same color markings from when he transformed into a lion cub. His curly, chocolate brown mane reached the bottom of his back and Connie couldn't help but stroke the luxurious hair.

"Sooo fluffy" she whispered. The new fusion heard that too and couldn't help but show another fanged smile on his Steve-ly shaped face, that was adorned with Lion's brown, heart-shaped nose. The palms of his hands and soles of his feet were still devoid of fur just like his human self, but they had dark pink paw pads on them. Sharp, porcelain white claws replaced his finger nails. Additionally, there was a singular red orb on the back of his hands. The only unfortunate side effect of this transformation was that his clothes couldn't accommodate his massive, gladiator-built body. His red t-shirt was nothing more than a short, tattered tank top and his shredded pants were on the ground. Luckily for him and Connie, fur covered the male part of his anatomy.

After a couple of minutes, the fusion started to get uncomfortable under their unbelieving stares. He nervously chuckled, "Heh…hey c'mon guys. This isn't anything new-"

"What are you talking about?! This is entirely new!" Peridot blurted out as she engaged her holo-screen to scan his body. "A fusion between a gem and a human was already unprecedented, but a fusion between a gem and an animal?! I don't even know what to say!" she exclaimed as she continued to take notes.

"Well, you could say that they look freakin' awesome together! And your voice! It's so…so…" Amethyst repeatedly snapped her fingers trying to come up with the right adjective.

"So what?" he quietly asked her as his ears drooped a little bit, becoming self-conscious all of sudden.

"_Angelic"_ Lapis described as she circled around his head.

"And really **deep**" Peridot added as she made another note.

"Yea, that! Sing something for us big guy! Please?" Amethyst pleaded.

"Oh, umm okay" he blushed. "Sing what?"

"I don't know, make up something! You're great at that" Amethyst praised.

"O-Okay. Ummm…" Levon thought for a moment before a natural clapping rhythm manifested out of his massive hands.

* * *

_You might make a different song, yes that's right it's true_  
_ That don't make anybody more or less as good as you_  
_ If you can feel the music that's all you really need_  
_ Then turn this party all the way out_  
_ Good time guaranteed_

_Everybody stay up_  
_ Clap your hands and dance to the beat_  
_ Whatever you do little darlin' it's cool_  
_ Just don't take your seat_  
_ And wave your flag because everybody plays a part_  
_ One world united singing the song of the heart_

* * *

His bold, silky-smooth vocal range combined with those improvised yet powerful verses sent all of them into a fan-crazed tizzy, ranging from big grins to indiscernible squeals.

"KAAAA! I LOVE IT!" Amethyst gleefully screamed as she wrapped her arms around his right leg. Lapis happily hummed in agreement as she gently landed on top of his head and nestled in his luxuriously soft locks. The blush on the fusion's face only deepened when he saw their reactions.

"So how does it feel…uh…what's your name anyway?" Jasper asked.

"Uh…I don't have one yet" he answered.

"Well, we'll start spit ballin' names and we'll go from there" Amethyst suggested and he nodded at that. "How about…Stion?" The being growled, vocalizing his displeasure with the combined name. "Yea…that sounded weird."

"Hmmm…what about _Colossus Ore Lion_? Or Col for short" Peridot suggested and he vehemently shook his head no, almost knocking Connie and Lapis off with his mane.

"P-tooh! Bleh!" Connie spat when she got some of his hair got in her mouth whereas Lapis got off of his head.

"Sorry guys! I'm sorry!" he apologized. He grabbed her off of his shoulder and set her back down on the grass before sitting Indian-Style on the grass as well; Lapis floated down shortly after.

"It's okay" Connie assured as she petted his giant leg and Lapis nodded, echoing the same sentiment.

"But that name isn't! What the heck was that?!" Jasper exasperated.

"I'd like to see you come up something better!" Peridot shot back.

"Already did. **Jasper Jr.!**" she smiled.

Everyone gave her a deadpan look.

"Really?" Peridot asked.

"What?" Jasper defended.

"No. Just no" Amethyst said shaking her head and everyone agreed with her. "Jeez, who knew coming up with a name would be so hard."

"Well…fusion names are based on the type of gemstone created when the fusers combine. But in his case, it's still his Rose Quartz. And those two red orbs on the back of his hands...but those don't even look like gemstones. Sooo…I'm guessing it'd be weird if we named him after his main gem" Peridot assumed and everyone nodded with that notion.

"H-How about Bud?" Pearl quietly suggested.

Due to having access to Steven's memories, the fusion immediately remembered that that was what she wanted to name him when he was born. He smiled at the timid gem and gently explained, "Thanks Pearl, but that's a nickname for all my friends, especially Lion. It'd just feel weird to have a name that was said to everyone."

She nodded her head in understanding and let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

Lapis tapped a finger to her chin as she stared at him. "How about…**Levon**?" she suggested.

"Levon?" he repeated. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he mulled it over. "Leeevon" he sounded out. Soon a low rumble traversed through his body, causing a smile to appear on the blue gem's face.

"_He's purring"_ she realized and he properly articulated his opinion on the name, "I LOVE it!"

"I'm glad!" she happily replied.

"It's nice to meet you Levon" Garnet smiled.

Instead of returning the facial gesture, he abruptly stood up, placed his paw on top of her square afro and ruffled her bouncy hair. _"I always wanted to do that. Now I'm finally tall enough"_ he whispered to her, causing her gemstones to glow.

Everyone got a good laugh at the touching scene.

"Yea! Great to have you bud! So…how do you feel?" Amethyst asked.

Levon took his hand off of Garnet's head and thought for a moment as he clenched and unclenched his hands. "I feel amazing! And…**safe**" he replied as he looked down at Connie; she looked up and gave him a gentle smile in return.

For anyone else, they would've needed more elaboration on his ambiguous choice of words. However… given what they witnessed and what he went through, it was as clear as the sky above them what he meant.

"I'm glad you do" Garnet said.

"Yea…me too" Jasper agreed and Pearl followed suit by nodding her head.

"I'm just glad that everything turned out alright. We were really worried when we heard your roar. We thought something was attacking you" Lapis explained.

"Yea. And when Connie started screaming, we thought you were going to eat her or something'" Amethyst chimed in.

"Wow…you guys heard me roar all the way from wherever you were looking for the clusters? Where **are** you guys looking for the clusters anyway?" he asked.

"In the kindergarten" Garnet answered.

"Oh…right. That makes sense. I guess it's not all that far away, but that's still pretty loud" he agreed.

"So…why were you screaming Connie?" Jasper asked.

"Oh…yea…umm…I was just really excited about seeing his new form. It reminded me of Atticus from the "Unfamiliar Familiar" series and I guess I had a major fangirl moment" she blushed.

"Unfamiliar Familiar?" Peridot asked.

"Yea! It's a really good book series! You should check it out sometime" Levon highly suggested.

"Human literature…we'll see" she replied.

"So whatchu gonna do now Levon?" Amethyst asked.

"I-I dunno. This is still kinda sudden for me" he replied.

"How about you test out your powers?" Jasper suggested.

"Hey yea! Good idea! Okay…let's see what weapon I can summon" he said and everyone backed up to give him some space.

He closed his eyes and focused his energy. Soon his inherited gem started glowing with its signature pink hue whereas a crimson light erupted out of the two orbs on the back of his hands. Almost instantaneously the light manifested itself into a pair of red, crystalline, arm-length blades.

"Whoooooa" Levon admired with starry eyes as he looked over his new weapons. "Arm slashers" he christened.

"Hmmm…offensive weapons" Garnet observed.

"Hey Levon! Try putting your arms together like you're blocking a punch!" Jasper called out.

"O-Okay" He did as he told and got into a defensive stance. Instantly the two arm blades morphed into semi-circles and fused like puzzle pieces to create his signature shield – albeit thicker, bigger and a darker shade of red.

"Awesome!" he cheered as he experimented by separating his arms a couple of times to see the weapons change from a shield back to blades.

"Offensive **and** defensive" Garnet corrected her earlier statement.

"Alright, time to see if I can warp roar. You guys may want to cover your ears" he said as he dismissed his arm slashers. Everyone heeded his suggestion and covered their ears; in Peridot's case she plugged her fingers into her head holes.

He took a deep breath through his massive nostrils. But instead of expelling all the air out of his lungs, it came out as a spitting razzberry.

"…Wh-what happened?" Connie asked.

Levon answered her question by summoning his arm slashers again, but this time they were a pale lily pink. His eyes glowed with a harsh white light as he looked down at the beach below. With a mighty swipe, he **literally** tore a hole in the air and leapt through it – disappearing out of sight.

"STEVEN!" Pearl shouted.

"It's LEVON remember?" Amethyst corrected.

"Levon, Bud, Jasper Jr. I don't care! Where's my baby?!" she cried as everyone looked around.

"He's going to come out in front of the temple right about…now" Garnet stated. And sure enough the bipedal feline emerged from another portal and skidded to a stop across the sand, creating a little dust cloud around him.

"Levon!" Pearl shouted again and hopped down the temple side of the hill. Amethyst followed suit whereas Lapis grabbed Connie by her hands and both she and Peridot flew down.

Jasper hung back with Garnet for a bit before saying, "Must be nice having future vision."

"…Sometimes it is. But most of the time I'm in the dark, just like you. The future is always shifting and it's **never** guaranteed" she replied before hopping down to accompany the rest of their family.

"…_She's got a point"_ she thought before going down too. When she got there, Pearl was frantically checking over him to make sure he was okay.

"Pearl, I'm okay. Really I am" he tried to assure her, but she didn't listen. "Rrrrr…**Knock it off!"** he growled, startling everybody, and she immediately stopped her examination.

"S-Sorry" she meekly replied as she backed away.

"It's okay. Sorry about that, but Lion doesn't like being touched so much" he reminded. _"Especially by her"_ he thought.

"Yes, yes of course. You are a fusion of both of their personalities after all" she replied.

"So what was that all about?" Peridot asked.

"Well…Lion said I can't warp roar per se. Instead I can tear open a portal anywhere and travel that way" he explained.

"**GASP** Just like that ghost wolf!" Connie realized.

"What ghost wolf?" Levon asked.

"He's an innocent fugitive from another TV show _that I'm not supposed to watch_ about a half human/half ghost boy. You'll have to watch it to understand" she explained.

"Sounds interesting…but I can't."

"Why not?" she asked.

"I'm still grounded from watching TV, remember?" he replied.

"…But you're not in the ground" Peridot pointed out.

"That's not what grounded means. It means that I'm being punished for something I did and my punishment is no TV for one thousand…well…nine hundred and ninety-nine years" he explained.

"Punished for what? What on Earth could you have done to warrant such a lengthy punishment?" she demanded to know.

"I got on a bus with Connie and tried to run away with her. At the time she was worried that her parents would think all this magic was weird and that they wouldn't let us hang out together anymore. So we wanted to go to a place where we didn't have to worry about anything" he finished.

"…That's it?" Jasper asked.

"Um…yes?" he hesitantly responded, not sure on how to respond to that question.

"Who punished you?!" she demanded.

"Um…they did?" he said pointing to Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl.

Her signature scary glare manifested itself as she looked at the perpetrators. She yelled, "**Are you freakin' serious?! **After everything he's done-"

"You're right" Garnet said cutting her rant off. "Levon, you have **more** than made up for what you did. And in retrospect…we didn't even give you a chance to explain yourself. Now I realize that it was a mistake made with good intentions. You're ungrounded from TV and you will never be banned from watching your shows ever again" she declared.

"R-Really?" he asked.

"Of course! We've should've done that a long time ago. We're sorry" Pearl apologized and Amethyst nodded her head in agreement.

"And don't worry Levon, I have their decree recorded in my personal logs in case they forget" Peridot added.

Twinkling stars appeared in Levon's eyes as he shouted, "ALRIGHT!" before leaping high into the air…and heading towards the ocean!

"LEVON!" Lapis shouted. She quickly formed a giant water hand out of the ocean to catch him. But her safety measure wasn't needed for the glee-filled feline landed gracefully on the palm of the water hand.

"Coool! I can walk on water too!" he exclaimed before jumping off the hand like a diving board onto the still surface. "Hey Lapis, can you make a couple more of those water hands, but make'em like platforms?" he asked.

"Um…okay?" she agreed as she created more hands.

"YEAA! WOO HOO!" he cheered as he kept on climbing higher and higher, until Pearl almost had a conniption about how high he was.

"P…chill. He's got this" Amethyst said. But in order to soothe her frantic mind, Lapis started making lower level platforms; Levon followed the descending and ascending pattern.

"I missed this" Lapis commented as they watched him happily hop from platform to platform.

"Yea…it's been a while since we've seen him so happy" Amethyst added.

"Not just happy, but carefree" Garnet said.

Connie looked at the smiles on their faces, but could sense the regret within them as well. The few remaining ire embers that burned for them started to die out and she smiled at the happy-go-lucky fusion as well.

Suddenly he performed a back flip and landed in front of the gems – even sticking the landing no less.

"Did you have fun?" Lapis asked.

"Yea! It was awesome! Thanks Lapis" he replied.

"You're welcome" she smiled.

"Man this so coool! I gotta show dad! Be right back!"

"WHAT? WAIT LE-" But their yelling fell on no ears for he disappeared through his self-made portal.

"We have to go after him now!" Pearl shrilled.

"Yea, there's no way I'm gonna miss the look on Greg's face. It's gonna be hilarious!" Amethyst grinned.

"Amethyst this is serious! What if people think he's a monster?!" she countered.

"Please. **He's pink**. If anything they'll think Lion just had a growth spurt or something'" she dismissed.

"Regardless, we better keep the peace and Greg's heart beating. Let's go gems!" Garnet commanded as she grabbed Connie and all of them took off towards the car wash.

* * *

_**At the car wash…**_

"Yea, that's the way Buck! Keep working on those chord progressions. It's all about finding that perfect pressure" Greg instructed his pupil.

"Cool beans Mr. U. See ya next week" Buck said as he gave a little two finger side salute before slinging his guitar over his right shoulder. "Oh yea. When you see Steven, tell'em I wanna do a duet at our next session."

"You got it Buck, take care!" Greg said as he watched his only non-related pupil walk away to whatever destination he had in mind.

A smile crossed his puffy beard as he pictured his two prodigies playing together. "Now there's something worth seeing in Empire City" he said to himself as he packed up his own guitar. "I wonder how he's doing anyway. I haven't seen him all that much since he started doing his "hard core" gem training. I'd better go over and make sure they're not pushing him too hard. Of course knowing Pearl, she probably covered the whole training area in bubble wrap" he chuckled to himself as he walked around the side of the car wash to put the guitar in his van.

But instead of going to get an answer about the well-being of his son, the answer came to him and in a BIG way. Levon emerged from his exit portal outside of the car wash; his landing creating a small tremor.

"Hu-huh? What's g-going on!?" Greg stuttered as he fell out the back of his van and stumbled towards the drive way of the car wash. And inadvertently running into Levon's leg.

"OOF!" he grunted before pushing his face off of the furry limb. He felt the pink fur for a bit before gulping. He hesitantly looked up and saw the gargantuan feline towering over him with a saber-toothed grin.

"Hey dad!" he spoke in his smooth baritone voice.

Once the initial fear wore off and the cogs started turning in his brain, he sputtered out "S-Steven? I-Is that y-you?"

"Yea, it's me!" he beamed, but Greg shouted, "OH MY GOD! HOLD ON STEVEN I'LL SAVE YOU!"

"Huh? What?" he asked but Greg ran to the water hose and turned it on full blast! "H-Hey! What're y-you-?! S-Stop!" Levon sputtered out as his father sprayed him with water.

"Don't worry son! You'll be okay! You're going to be okay! I love you, don't you ever forget that!" he rambled as he continued to hose him down.

By then the Lion side of Levon was fed up! "Grrrrr…**ENOUGH!" **he roared, accidentally sending Greg flat onto his back, but he got up real quick. Sore bones weren't going to stop him from "saving" his son.

"Don't worry Steven, I won't give up until you're all better! No mangy cat is going to stop your old man!" he declared as he went in for round two of the water battle. That is until he was grabbed from behind and hoisted into the air. "Wh-What the!?"

He turned around and saw that Jasper was holding him from the back of his tank top. "What in the world are **you** doing!? Let me go NOW!" he yelled.

"Look, I'm probably the last gem you want to talk to, but listen and listen **well**. Steven. Is. Fine" she slowly articulated.

"It's true Mr. Universe! Steven's okay" Connie chimed in as she got out of Garnet's arms.

"…Aside from being wet anyway. _And I'm not mangy_" he irritably said as he shook the water off of him and tried to lick himself dry.

Lapis walked over to him and used her hydrokenisis to take all of the water off of his body.

"Thanks Lapis" he smiled and Lapis returned the gesture while giving a slight nod.

But Greg still couldn't believe it. "B-But h-he's"

"**He's fused with Lion"** Garnet finished as she twisted the hose nozzle to turn off the water.

"What?!" he shouted before staring at the fusion with wide eyes and small pupils.

Amethyst couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing at his short-circuited state of mind. "Th-that's what I was waiting for! I-I can'tBWHAHAHA!" as she fell to the floor and held her hurting sides.

"Amethyst really. It's not **that** funny" Pearl chided.

"It's a little funny" Garnet chimed in as Jasper set him down.

After a couple of minutes Amethyst finally stopped laughing, but Greg was still frozen in shock.

"…Dad?" Levon said as he waved his paw in front of his face.

"You don't think the organ within his cerebral cavity stopped processing…do you?" Peridot asked.

"Hmmmm…" Garnet hummed. She walked up to him and "gently" flicked him on the back of his head.

"OW!" he yelled as he rubbed the back of his skull.

"Sorry, but it was the only way to wake you up" she apologized.

"Wake me up?" Once again it took a couple of seconds for the cogs to turn again until he blurted out, "Wait…ITS REAL?! Steven fused with Lion?!"

"Sure did" Jasper answered.

Greg approached his hairy son and smiled while stuttering, "Th-That's incredible! Since when?"

Levon happily sighed in relief before answering, "Just now!"

"H-How is this even possible? I thought gems couldn't "fuse" with people let alone animals" he asked.

"We thought so too, but that notion was blown out the water once we saw Stevonnie" Pearl acknowledged.

"Yea. C'mon, Greg. It's Steven! Who knows what's going to happen with him" Amethyst chuckled.

"Wait hold on. Who's Stevonnie?" Greg asked.

"It's the fusion between Steven and Connie. I would think with that name it'd be a little obvious" Garnet answered.

Greg looked at the girl in question and asked, "You can fuse with him too?!"

She hesitantly nodded her head before blurting out, "Please don't tell my parents Mr. Universe! They've barely gotten used to all this magic stuff and this might send them over the edge and-"

"Whoa whoa, it's okay. Believe me, I understand plenty…well at least enough to get by with all this magic stuff. Besides, **you're not the first human to try and fuse with a gem"** he replied.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I think he means **me**, right?" Levon asked.

"No. You're our **successful** attempt at fusion, but I tried to fuse with Rose before" he explained.

"What? When? C'mon tell us!" Levon begged with starry eyes.

Greg looked over and saw Pearl's face almost completely blue and said, "That's another story for another day."

"Awwww" Levon whined.

"But what I want to know is how you and Lion were able to fuse with him" he asked.

"I-I'm not sure how we were able to fuse, but in Levon's case it's because Lion and Steven are brothers. They share the same gem" Connie answered.

"Yes…of course! Both of them are hybrids so of course they're compatible" Peridot realized before quickly jotting down more notes.

"Whoawhoawhoa, hold on. What do you mean Lion and Steven are brothers?" Greg asked.

"Story time!" Levon announced before he once again assumed the role of orator. He explained the first time they formed Stevonnie then transitioned to the wildlife excursion they went on and some of the startling revelations Steven found out.

In the middle of his story, he subtly gave a side glance towards Jasper and Pearl. They immediately got the hint and gave a quick appreciative nod, silently thanking him for not revealing the more **sordid** details of the fusion incident and the true reason as to why Levon was formed in the first place; he equated it to nothing more than a training exercise. Both of them shuddered as the possibilities of what could've happened if Greg found out passed through their minds, with Steven leaving for good being the **least** of their problems.

"And that's what happened" he finished.

"Lion is Commodore Cottontail?! He's that little kitten that shredded my pants!?" he asked.

"I'll shred your whole van into little pieces if call me by that name again!" Levon growled as his fur bristled up.

"S-Sorry" Greg nervously stuttered as little sweat beads formed on his bald head.

"Yea…sorry about that. It's just that Lion **really** hates that name" Levon explained. Then his voice tone voice shifted as he growled, "So don't you get any ideas Amethyst! I'll mess you up **big time**! Got it?!"

"What? Would I do something like that?" she innocently asked while batting her eyes.

"**Yes**" everyone answered.

A small blush crept up on her face as she crossed her arms and muttered, "Whateves."

"But…this is still a lot to take in. I knew Rose healed you and all but I didn't know she implanted her gem in you so to speak" Greg said.

"Yep. So I'm not the only hybrid around anymore…and I'm okay with that" Levon sighed in relief.

"But you're still **one of a kind** in my book Stu-ball. Err…Le-ball" Greg corrected and everyone nodded at that, causing a big, sharp-toothed grin to appear on Levon's face.

"So…I have a question. Why were you spraying him with water?" Connie asked.

"Oh, that. Well…I remembered when he first started shapeshifting. It was a…**experience** to say the least. All these little cats just started popping out all over his body and taking control of him. He came to me for help because the gems were on an important mission to keep the planet from breaking apart."

"_Funny…we're trying to do that now" _ Peridot thought before Greg continued, "Then he figured out that the cats hated water, so I begrudgingly ran him through the car wash to get rid of'em. So when Levon showed up, I thought those cat things unified into a single creature and took over him again" he explained.

A collective **"oh"** passed through the captivated audience.

"That sounds absolutely horrific!" Lapis commented, shuddering at the thought of her best friend turning into a corrupted…**gem**.

"Yea…it was pretty scary, but I got rid of them and that's all that matters. So I'm just chalking it up to more learning experience" Levon replied.

"Indeed. Your growth from then to now has been remarkable" Garnet smiled.

"She's right. I mean it's just amazing how fast you're growing…I still remember when you were just a tiny baby in my arms" Greg fondly reminisced.

"Now I'm a lion warrior!" he proudly declared as he flexed his bazooka biceps.

"…Who's still ticklish" Lapis cheekily added before pouncing on Levon's back and scratching his favorite spot on his shoulder.

"Oooooooo…yeaaaa" he happily purred. Soon a pulsing light emanated from his gem, matching the rhythm of his thumping foot.

"Wh-What's going on? Are they going to fuse too?" Greg asked.

"Naw dude. That's the _happy glow_, remember?" Amethyst smiled while wiggling her eyebrows; Greg blushed when he heard that.

After a couple of minutes Lapis stopped her soothing touches, much to Levon's dismay. When he stretched his upper body up, that's when Greg finally noticed the tattered state of his clothes.

"Levon, what happened to your clothes?" he asked.

"Oh…heh. Guess I got too big for'em" he sheepishly answered.

"Does this happen all the time when you fuse?"

"Not with Stevonnie, our clothes fuse into one outfit. But Lion doesn't wear clothes, so maybe that why I tore through them" he guessed.

"That and the fact you're packing some serious muscle there" Jasper added.

"Well…this is going to be a problem. You can't be bursting out of your clothes every time you fuse. And I doubt the mall has anything in your size" Greg commented.

"Indeed. Even though it's obvious that humans have to put on appearance modifiers, you **are** half gem. It's quite strange that you don't have at least **one** appearance modifier that can meld to your body" Peridot observed.

That's when a long forgotten memory resurfaced inside Levon's head.

* * *

"Pearl!" he suddenly called out, startling the lithe gem.

"Y-Yes Levon?" she asked.

"May I have my mom's sash please?" he asked.

"Sash?"

"Mom's piece of battle armor" he clarified.

Pearl looked at him with wide eyes. "H-How do you know-?"

"Rose told me about a lot of stuff and I just remembered this piece of info when Peridot said that. I **know** you have it. Now…give it to me" he irritably said before his tone changed and he added, "Please?"

"Levon… you have to understand. There's a reason why your mother locked that armor away"

"Inside your gem or somewhere else?" he asked.

"Err…well, I was tasked with guarding it so I thought it'd be easier to keep it in my gem, closer to me" she explained.

"…Uh huh" he replied with one raised eyebrow when he saw her cheeks turn blue. "Anyway, it rightfully belongs to **me** since I am her son" he countered.

"B-But it **hurt **Rose-"

"Wait what? This sash thing hurt Rose?! How can armor hurt somebody? It's supposed to protect!" Greg asked.

"Indeed, that sounds like some faulty equipment. Maybe I can repair it" Peridot offered.

"You can't fix it" Pearl replied.

Peridot furrowed her eyebrows and glared at her, a little offended by her statement. "What? Why not?"

"Because it's **organic** plant armor. It's alive" she explained. "Don't misunderstand me. It did protect her, actually a lot of us during the war. But for whatever reason, it siphoned off Rose's energy so she had no choice but to seal it away. Levon, I'm sorry but I can't give it to you knowing what it did to your mother."

Levon let the explanation sink in. "…I understand. And thanks for looking out for me" he said.

Pearl sighed in relief, believing that the issue had been resolved. That is before Levon bared his fangs.

"But, you're forgetting one thing. **I'm not Rose! **I'm able to do things that she couldn't do!" he snarled. He took a deep breath to keep his rising agitation in check. "Look, I already knew all that stuff. I wouldn't have asked for it if I didn't think I could handle it."

"NO Levon! It's too dangerous!" Pearl shouted as she glared at the primal fusion.

"So was everything else I went through, missions and…**otherwise.** And everything turned out alright in the end" he countered causing Pearl's argument to falter.

"…He does have a point" Jasper reluctantly agreed.

"Not to mention, **I'm organic too**. I want to see if I can bond with it. But how can I succeed if you won't even let me try?" he finished.

The area was still as the contemplating cogs turned in all of their heads. Instinctively everyone turned their attention towards Garnet, waiting to see what her response would be.

"Hmmmm" she hummed as she tapped her chin. She adjusted her shades and commanded, "Pearl give him the sash."

"B-But"

"Remember, **fear is the belief in the worst possible outcome**" Garnet repeated.

"Yea. Plus, we're all here to make sure nothing bad happens" Lapis added and Pearl finally nodded her head in acceptance.

"…Alright. Just give me a second." She walked away from the group so she could have room to perform her summoning dance. "TOOOOOOOAAAA….HAAAAAAAAAH" she chanted as a rose-colored bubble emerged from her gem. "Here it is" she said as the bubble instinctively floated towards Levon.

* * *

When he looked inside, all he saw was a tiny vine with a lone leaf at one end.

"…That's it?" Peridot asked.

"Looks can be deceiving" Garnet stated.

Peridot quirked one eyebrow up at that comment, until she remembered that she was standing right next to the biggest, physically-deceiving being she ever met.

"Alright…here I go" Levon said as he popped the bubble. The quarter-sized sprig gently landed in the center of his palm. After a few moments, it started to move on its own.

"Whoooa" Connie marveled as she watched it from afar.

"Heh! It's feels like a roly poly!" Levon chuckled as the vine continued to squirm around. Soon his heightened hearing senses picked up a yawn. He looked around to see who committed the vocal action, but everyone's eyes were glued on him and the plant.

"W-What's wrong?" Connie asked.

"Someone yawned" he replied.

Immediately everyone looked at Amethyst. "What? It wasn't me!" she defended.

"She's right…because I just heard it again" he said. On a hunch he brought the vine closer to his face to get a better look.

"Awww! It's got a little mouth near the leaf. And it was just waking up" he cooed as he gently rubbed the top of what he assumed was its head.

"That thing really is alive?!" Greg asked.

"Yes, that's what I said" Pearl flatly replied with a side ways glance.

"S-Sorry, but I just wasn't expecting it to be "**alive**" alive. I mean I thought it be "normal plant, not moving alive" he clarified.

"Well, it seems to like Levon a lot" Lapis commented when she saw the vine hunch its body up like how Levon would when she scratched his favorite spot. Pearl merely folded her arms and continued her vigilant watch.

"Hey little guy. Did you sleep well?" Levon asked.

He was surprised when he actually got a peep in response. "_Wh-where am I?" _it asked.

"Cool! You can talk! Guys, did you hear that?" he excitedly asked. Everyone shook their heads no.

"Are you sure it spoke to you?" Pearl asked.

"Yep, sure did! Did it talk to mom at all?" he asked.

"…Not that I recall" she replied.

"What did it say?" Connie asked.

"It asked "_Where am I?"_ You're on Earth little guy, at my dad's car wash" he told the little sprig.

"_E-Earth? …Fight! Fight war!" _it squeaked as it started moving around like a crazy snake.

"Whoa whoa little guy! It's okay, the war is over. No more fighting" Levon assured.

"…_For now anyway"_ Jasper thought as she continued to watch their fascinating interaction.

"_N-No fight?" _it asked.

"No fight" Levon smiled.

"…_Where Rose?"_

"Oh…um…well she's here. Kinda. My name is Levon, and I'm a fusion between Steven and Lion!"

"…_Fusion…like Garnet?"_ it asked.

"Yea! Hey Garnet, this little guy knows about you!" he beamed and Garnet smiled at his enthusiasm.

"_Where Rose? Is hurt?" _it asked.

"No, no! She's fine. Y'see Rose, my mom, gave up her physical form to give birth a son with my dad, Greg, and she gave her gem to him. That's Steven. Then she put a part of her gem in a hurt lion cub to make him feel better. That's Lion" he tried to explain.

The sprig curled itself into a tight coil and remained that way for a couple of minutes.

"I-Is it okay?" Peridot asked.

"I think it's trying to make sense of everything I just told it" he replied.

Soon it uncoiled itself and raised its head up. _"Steven has Rose's gem. Lion has Rose's gem. Rose no got gem?"_

"Oh no! My mom is still in her gem, inside of Steven" he clarified.

"…_Steven fusion of Rose and Greg gem?"_

"Yea! But my dad Greg is a human, not a gem."

"…_Steven human and gem?"_

"Yep and Lion is a gem animal. So I'm a fusion of a human, gem and animal!" he proudly exclaimed.

"…_How?"_ it asked.

"Uh…good question. I don't know."

"_Can talk to Rose?"_

"I'm sorry but no. Well…not like how we're talking. She can only talk to Steven, but only when he's really hurt and needs to be healed" he explained.

"_NO! No hurt! I protect!_" it declared.

"Thanks little guy! I'd love it if you could keep me and my family safe" he smiled. The plant furiously nodded his head at that.

"But I have a question. Why did you want to talk to my mom? Did you want to ask her something?"

"…_Why lock me up? Did do wrong?"_ it sadly asked as it looked down. Immediately Levon's ears drooped and a frown crossed his muzzle.

"Levon, what did it say?" Greg asked when he noticed his son's downcast look.

"He asked why mom locked him up" he replied.

Another collective but cringy **"oh"** passed through the group.

"Levon…you have to tell it the truth" Garnet said.

"B-But"

"**Levon**" she said a little firmer. "You inherited this vine – that includes everything that comes with it. The good and the bad."

Levon gulped and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry you got locked up little guy, but m-mom had to because you were hurting her."

"_No…no hurt. Never hurt_" it dejectedly replied as its head hung limp.

"…Yea. Um…do you know Pearl?" he asked.

_"…Sword slasher that around Rose lot?_" it asked.

"Yep, that's her. She said you were draining my mom's energy."

_"No drain! No hurt! Hungry!"_

"Hungry?" he repeated.

"_Hungry, no food! Weak…very weak. Had to feed. Rose had food"_ it explained.

Slowly a couple of light bulbs started to flicker on inside of Levon's combined head, but he needed more info.

"…Pearl, my mom always wore this little guy right?" Levon asked.

"Yes. The only time she took it off was when she had to seal it away, and that was during the middle of the war" she answered.

Levon carefully folded his arms while still keeping his palm up so he could hold the tiny vine. "Hmmm…mmmmm" were the vocals of rumblings of his thoughts, but it didn't even come close to translating what was going on in his mind.

"_Healing tears…**plant**_**_ super fertilizer_**_…rocks are minerals…plant seeds need an abundance of minerals to grow…a little extra in order to reach its full potential."_

"THAT'S IT!" he exclaimed nearly throwing the sprig up in the air and making everyone else flinch due to the sudden outburst.

"Wh-What? What is it?" Peridot asked.

"I'll be right back guys. Connie can you hold him please?"

"O-Okay" she agreed.

"Thanks! Okay little guy, I'll be right back with something that'll make you all better. **I promise**. I'm gonna put you in my best friend Connie's hands. Do you promise to be good until I get back?"

The sprig nodded its head and Levon carefully placed it in her hands.

"See you guys in a bit!" and just like that he disappeared through one of his self-made portals, leaving everyone behind to interact with one another…which was minimal at best. An awkward silence enveloped them, but at least it wasn't as soul crushing as when Connie and Steven were alone with Pearl and Jasper.

But being the easy-going guy he was, Greg broke the tension when he cleared his throat. "Umm…well…until Levon gets back, I could give you guys a tour of the car wash if you want" he offered to the new members of the family.

"Uhhh…doesn't seem like there's much to show" Jasper observed.

"Well, I am a little bit curious as to the kind of technology you employ to wash cars. …What's a car?" Peridot asked.

"How can I put it? A car is like a space ship that moves on the ground only. It doesn't fly. Humans use them to get from place to place" he explained.

"How primitive. So that…van… of yours is a different class of car?" she asked.

"Yep, you got it. Cars come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. And here's where they come to get clean if they're dirty. So long as they can fit through the entrance" Greg explained.

"I am familiar with the process known as "cleaning" so I am correct in assuming that you use water and soap to clean these mobile machines?" she asked and Greg nodded his head.

As they continued to talk about the mechanics of operating the various devices, a subtle groan passed through the rest group. "_Levon…__**please**__ hurry up_" they collectively thought. Even the little vine was as still as a stick, completely bored out of its mind at the dull discussion.

Thankfully their prayers were answered when Levon appeared out thin air. However the sudden tremor startled the little sprig, causing it to coil up.

"Levon!" everyone called out.

"Hey guys!" he replied.

"Whoa, what's in the bubble?" Amethyst asked pointing to the giant bubble he was carrying.

**"Dirt!"** he smiled.

"Dirt?" they repeated.

"Good dirt!" he clarified before asking, "Hey dad, do you have a big bucket I can use?"

"Huh? Oh, yea sure! Let me go get it." With that he went inside the main building and grabbed a large, blue ten gallon bucket.

"Perfect! Thanks dad" he said.

He carefully poked a hole in the bubble and poured some of the dirt into the bucket. He had to keep his mouth open in order to breathe so his nose wouldn't inhale that funky smell.

"Levon, where in the world did you get this stuff?!" Pearl asked as she and everyone else…well except Amethyst, covered their noses to try and block the pungent odor. Even **Jasper** could smell it.

"Lion's secret grove" he answered as he sealed up the bubble and sent it to the temple. "That should be good. Connie, can you put him in the bucket please?" he asked and she nodded her head.

She carefully placed the tight coil on top of the dirt and scooted back.

"Hey little guy, time to unwind. I think you're going to like thissss!" he cooed as he rubbed its body. Slowly the vine uncurled itself and slithered around its new surroundings. Then all of a sudden it burrowed down out of sight.

"Dad, can you pour some water on top please?"

"Sure son" he said as he ran to grab the hose. He turned the nozzle and poured a generous amount of water on top.

"That's good. Thanks dad." Greg nodded and turned it off. Then he opened his mouth and let some of his healing spit fall onto the fertile soil.

"Levon, what-" Lapis' question was cut short when the bucket started shaking. Levon held it steady while everyone looked over it.

"Wow…he sure was hungry. Maybe I should've just put him in the bubble" Levon commented as the dirt level got lower and lower, until the only thing that remained was the little sprig – munching on whatever dirt was left.

Only…he wasn't so little anymore.

"Whoa…little twig got big" Amethyst said.

"Yea…it's almost as long and thick as my arm" Connie observed.

"How you feelin' there bud?" Levon asked.

"_Really good! Food really good!" _it happily peeped, and this time everyone could hear it.

"I guess it can talk" Jasper said.

"But only Levon can understand it. Very peculiar" Peridot commented as she decided to scan the plant.

Levon picked it up; it was still small enough to be held in one hand but definitely had a bit more weight to it. "Do you need any more?" he asked.

"_Me good. Thank Levon"_ it said.

"You're welcome little guy. Hey, do you have a name?"

"…_No name" _it replied.

"Would you like one?" he asked.

"_Okay. Name me"_

"Y'know, I've been calling you little guy all this time, but are you a boy or a girl?"

"…_What boy? What girl?"_

"…Never mind. Okay, let's see…hmmmm…how about-"

"LEVON! PUT THAT THING DOWN NOW!" Peridot yelled. Her outburst caused little spikes to form along the sprig's back as well as making it hiss.

"Hey, hey it's okay. Peridot didn't mean to scare you" he assured as he petted it.

"What's wrong?" Jasper asked.

"That thing is a _krudzipulo erdrocus_!" she exclaimed as she stared at her now red screen.

"Uh…wanna speak normal?" Amethyst asked.

"That plant is a Krudzu! Also known as the **gem disintegrator!**" she clarified.

"What!?" everyone gasped.

"These kind of plants are highly territorial and vicious. They're native to the planet **Faltride**, another location of an unsuccessful gem colony. Gems didn't even have a chance to incubate let alone land on the planet because of these things." She shuddered as she continued, "I-I remember reading some of the reports of gems that survived. B-Being snatched up in the middle of the night while they're on patrol…ear hole piercing screams as they're being eaten alive…and one of them is here now!" she screamed as she quickly backed away.

"…_Huh. Kinda sounds like a plant version of canicaligians"_ Levon thought.

"Why in the world would Rose Quartz have something like that?! No wonder it hurt her! That's our natural enemy!" she shrilled.

"Mom found beauty in everything, so she must've saw something special in this little guy. And so do I; he's pretty cool!" Levon smiled as he petted it.

"B-But that thing absorbed-"

"**That's because mom didn't feed it" **Levon cut Pearl off.

"I mean, I get it. Kinda hard to focus on taking care of something that's your natural enemy when you probably have no idea how and when you're in the middle of a war. That's why he sapped some of mom's energy – **you guys are rocks**. No offense" he quickly added.

"None taken" Garnet replied.

"Even if he's from a different planet, he's still a **plant**. He needs water, sun, and soil in order to grow and reach its full potential" he explained. "You sure are one tough little guy, surviving as long as you did" he praised as he scratched it underneath its chin, causing it to happily peep.

Garnet smiled at the interaction and Jasper noticed it. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" she asked.

"No, this was just one of the paths I saw. I'm merely happy that this is one that occurred" Garnet explained. "And we shouldn't be too surprised by this. He was able to win the three of you over after all" she followed up; Lapis, Peridot and Jasper all nodded in agreement with that.

"So can I keep him? Pleeeease? I'll take care of him, I promise!" Levon crossed his heart.

"I know you will. And yes you can keep him" Garnet agreed.

"Alright! Welcome to the family **Rudy!**" he dubbed his new friend.

"_**Rudy**_?" it asked.

"Yea, that's your new name. D-Do you like it?" he asked.

"_Rudy like! Thank Levon!"_ it peeped before jumping out of his hand. Before he could ask where he was going, Rudy slithered up his leg and wrapped itself around his waist. Soon it bloomed leaves along its body, creating the signature rectangular-looking sash.

"Sooo Coool!" he marveled with starry eyes.

"Lookin' good there Levon!" Amethyst praised as he gave a quick turn.

"OHMYGOSH YES!" Connie exclaimed with diamond eyes. "You look just like one of those jungle cat warriors! All you need now is a circle earring and a tribal tattoo on your shoulder!" she gushed.

"Uh…" Levon uttered as he tried to follow her fangirl ramblings.

"You aren't getting any piercings or tattoos until you're thirty!" Greg asserted, snapping Connie out of her fanatic state of mind.

"What? C'mon Greg, live a little. Besides, didn't you haveMmmph!" Amethyst was about to comment that he had multiple ear piercings when he first met Rose, but Greg covered her mouth.

"_Don't encourage him!"_ he whispered and she got the message.

"…Oookay? Anyway, Rudy. Just let me know when you get hungry okay?" The sash shook its leaves in response.

"Levon. This won't be the last time I'll say it. You never cease to amaze me" Garnet smiled.

"But…I didn't do anything. All I did was pet it and feed it" he replied.

"No. You did something far greater than that. **You gave it a chance**. Sometimes that's the greatest thing anyone can do" she stated and everyone, especially Jasper and Pearl, nodded at that notion.

Levon sported another big grin, before stretching his arms up and yawning.

"Tired big guy?" Amethyst asked.

"A little bit. Laying on the hill sounds pretty nice right about now" he mumbled while smacking his lips.

"Yea it does!" she happily replied.

"Indeed. I think we all deserve a break from dealing with the clusters and everything else. If it's alright, may we join you?" Garnet asked.

"Of course it is! It'll be like a sleepover outside! Here, I'll carry us back to the temple. Dad, are you coming?" he asked.

"Y'know what? I will. It's been pretty dead so far. Lemme just lock it down and I'll just flip the sign that says I'm going on break" Greg answered.

"Hooray!" Levon cheered.

"Need any help?" Pearl offered.

"Oh! Um, yea. If you could put those cleaning supplies and that bucket back in the cabinet in the main office and lock it up that'd be great" he said. Pearl nodded her head and followed his instructions. "Now I just need to put these chairs back in the van and hose down the drive way."

"I can take care of the drive way" Lapis offered as she formed her water wings.

"Cool! Thanks Lapis" he replied as he quickly put the multi-colored folding chairs away.

Pearl got out of the building just in time and everyone backed up to give Lapis some space. Using the water from her wings, she covered the entire area – grabbing every speck of dirt imaginable – before dumping it in one of the storm drains.

"Whoooa" they marveled, causing Lapis to blush.

Greg ran over to close the shutters and coil the hose. "And that's that!"

"Awesome! Let's go!" Levon exclaimed.

* * *

Before he could pick anyone up, a loud tremor similar to that of one hundred freight trains ripped through the area!

"GRAAAAAA!" he roared as he covered his ears.

"LEVON!" everyone shouted as they got close to the kneeling fusion. Luckily the tremor went as quickly as it came. "Levon, are you okay?" everyone asked.

"Y-yea. I'm okay. …Sensitive hearing" he replied.

"What the hay was that?" Greg asked. He looked over at the car wash, thankfully all the windows were still in tact. "_Good thing I invested in that premium thick glass after all" _he thought.

"A space vessel entered the atmosphere" Garnet answered.

"…Yellow Diamond" Jasper nervously uttered.

"_No way…she actually sent someone for us? C-Could she?_" Peridot thought.

Instinctively everyone looked up at the sky, but there was nothing there.

"You sure about that G? I don't see anything" Amethyst commented.

Peridot expanded her holo-screen and scanned the sky. "…No, there's a ship up there" she said and everyone looked at the screen.

"A stealth ship. They're trying to be inconspicuous this time around" Jasper commented.

"Well, time to let'em know that we can see'em and give'em a **warm** Earth welcome" Amethyst grinned as she cracked her knuckles.

"Y-Yea" Peridot agreed.

"I'm sorry dad, but we have to put our outdoor sleepover on hold" Levon apologized.

"Yea…I know. You do your thing son. Just…be careful. Please?" he emphasized as he grabbed his son's hand.

"I promise" he replied before giving his dad a hug.

"Yea, don't worry Greg. You might want to go on ahead and get a victory barbeque ready for us" Amethyst confidently said.

"Alright gems, let's go! Levon, take Connie home" Garnet ordered.

"What?! No! I'm not leaving! What's the point of all that training if I'm not going to put it to use?!" Connie argued.

"No Connie, she's right. You can't fight" Levon agreed.

"W-What?"

"Not without a sword" he grinned as he reached into his head and pulled out his mother's sword.

"…Really?" she asked as she gazed upon the scabbard of the pink sabre.

"Of course! You're an expert swordswoman, remember?" Connie smiled and grabbed the blade.

"Thanks Levon. I won't let you down!" she firmly assured.

"You never do" he smiled as he put her on his shoulder. Then he grabbed the rest of the gems in his arm.

"I'm not holding you too tight am I?" he asked.

"No…you're just really soft" Lapis sighed in content.

"Yea dude. When this is over, I'm totally using you as a pillow" Amethyst said and he chuckled at that.

"…_Feels like I'm holding a bunch of action figures_" he thought before opening another warp portal. They traveled along the diamond dusted expressway and emerged in front of the temple; Levon carefully set all of them down on the sand.

"Pearl! Amethyst! Ready the light cannons! The blast will ruin their element of surprise" Garnet commanded.

"Right away Garnet!" they acknowledged. Amethyst ran up the steps and set up the lone wagon canon on the porch while Pearl brought out the controls for the quartizine trio out of her gem.

"Peridot, tell us where to aim" Garnet ordered.

"H-Huh? Oh right! Um…right there" she pointed.

"Levon, light them up!"

"_If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs_" he boomed and the cannons reacted to his voice, firing four pink laser blasts at the camouflaged vessel.

The Rose-shaped projectiles hit their target, and this time it had at least some effect. The invisible cloaking around the space ship disappeared, revealing a green, oblong-shaped vessel.

"It…it kinda looks like a patella" Connie commented.

"A what?" Levon asked.

"Patella. That's the name of the bone that makes your knee cap" she explained.

"Oh" he replied.

"Well, it's going to be a broken knee cap soon" Jasper commented as she tightly squeezed her hands.

**"No."** Garnet firmly stated.

"No? No to what?" Jasper asked.

"No to breaking it and no to you three fighting whatever gems are on that ship" she clarified.

"What?! Are you crazy?! You think you can handle whatever's on that ship? You **barely** handled me!" Jasper exclaimed.

"Wow…thanks for the vote of confidence" Amethyst sarcastically said.

"It's not like before. We **know** what kind of technology home world has at their disposal. Not to mention we have a couple of aces up our sleeve" Garnet said as she looked as Connie and Levon.

"You said that this is a stealth ship, correct? That means that whoever's in there probably has an escort but is built for reconnaissance, not for battle. Plus, if they see you and your outfits and figure out you defected from home world, they could relay a message back and may start an investigation of every Jasper, Lapis Lazuli, and Peridot back home, leading to unwarranted deaths" she finished.

"What if we just change our outfits back to normal and pretend we're under mind control?" Peridot suggested.

"No! If we do that, that'll tip them off that there's a **diamond** here and they'll go after Levon!" Lapis countered.

"Besides, I'd rather be smashed than have that **slave mark** on my chest again" Jasper added.

"R-Right" Peridot stuttered.

"Then it's decided. You three wait in the house. Once whoever's in there comes out, Lapis can drag the ship underwater, leaving them defenseless. Not to mention, we can use that technology to our advantage. Just wait until I give the signal" she ordered as she demonstrated the signal - a rocket gauntlet punch.

"…This path better be the right one" Jasper semi-warned.

"I'm actually going off radar so to speak. I **know** everything will alright because we're fighting for those we **care about"** she smiled.

"**And love is the belief in the best possible outcome"** Lapis added.

"Alright! Break!" Levon clapped his hands, but everyone gave him puzzled looks. "Oh, it's a human way of saying let's do this."

"Ugh! So many shortened euphuisms! Why can't humans just say what they mean?!" Peridot exasperated.

"Pretty soon you'll be saying them too. Now go!" Garnet commanded and the three of them hurried up to the beach house.

The gems summoned their weapons as the space craft steadily descended to their location.

"Heh…Talk about déjà vu huh?" Amethyst chuckled.

"At least we don't have to mount another city wide evacuation" Garnet commented. "We got this."

"Yea!" Levon and Connie exclaimed as they gave each other a hi-five.

Pearl could only smile at her protégés. "_I __**promise**__ I'll make it right"_ she internally swore as she firmly gripped her spear.

An acid green hue blanketed the town as the ship continued its descent. While the front line was focused on the object in their sights, one of the newest members was focused on conflicting emotions raging inside of her mind.

* * *

**_Back in the house…_**

Jasper and Lapis were pressed up against the window, peeking through the blinds as they awaited the arrival of the newest batch of invaders.

"Who do you think is in there?" Lapis asked.

"Like Garnet said, a gem built for reconnaissance. Maybe a Jet or a Zoisite. Heh…wouldn't it be something if they sent another Jasper as its escort?" she bitterly chuckled.

"…Jasper" Lapis sighed as she put her hand on her shoulder. "You're your own gem here, not just another copy. In Steven's eyes, no matter what you do, you'll always be his tiger teacher. Just like I'm his all-time beach buddy" she assured.

Jasper was silent for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts. "…Thanks Lazuli. A-And I know I didn't do this and I should've a while ago but…I-I'm sorry f-for the way I treated you. Y'know? Back when we first came here a-and everything before that and GAH! Why can't I just say what I want?! **I'm sorry I was a major clod!** C-Can you forgive me?"

A small smirk appeared on the blue gem's face and she replied, "Well, considering we rest in the same temple, work together and we haven't smashed each other's gem yet, I'd say I already have."

"Heh…true that. Thank you" she said as she ruffled her hair.

"J-Jasper!" Lapis screamed.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! Force of habit" Jasper apologized as she quickly retracted her hand off of her head.

"N-No, it's alright. I-I just got to get used to being touched like that" she replied.

Immediately images of her forcefully holding Lapis' head against a table while they were in an interrogation room played in her mind. "Sheet rock…I really was a major clod" Jasper lamented as she ran her hand through her long hair.

"Well, we were brought up in a cloddy system. Now we know better" Lapis consoled.

_"…**But it's still home**"_ Peridot silently added.

"What?" they asked as the turned around to see her standing in the middle of the room with her arms crossed.

"I-It's still home. Yes I know I had a **rough** upbringing and I basically had to work myself to the core to even earn a lick of worth from Yellow Diamond, b-but it's hard alright?! Not to have some feelings for where you came from. I mean, just the fact that she sent somebody down here after I sent all those distress signals – for the record this was before you found me and I was dead set on completing the mission – has to mean something!" she explained as her floating fingers extenuated her confused feelings.

"…So in the off chance whoever's in there was sent to retrieve us for Yellow Diamond, you'd actually go back? Leave all the love and support, or for that matter **any** love and support, you've ever received behind? Do you have **any **idea what Yellow would do to us knowing that we failed an easy mission?! Not to mention how hurt Steven would be!?" Jasper harshly questioned.

"**I KNOW!**" Peridot shouted, making her former superior back off. "I-I know" she choked out before crumpling to the floor. "I-I don't understand! I thought I'd gone against _everything_ that home world stood when I decided to stop the cluster and be a part of this **insanely** _loving_ family. B-But there's just this little thing inside of me that's making me feel really…small. Almost microscopic. And I hate it!" she cried.

"…I think I get it" Lapis said as she walked over to her former captor. "You're homesick."

"B-But this is my home! I want it to be!" Peridot gestured to the beach abode.

"I know you do, but you haven't **fully** accepted it yet. And who can blame you? So far all you've seen is the kindergarten, that ravine, and the temple. And the car wash if you count today. How can you call a place home if you've never seen it? Experienced it?" Lapis asked.

"But Jasper said that Steven was her home" Peridot pointed out.

"And he is" agreed Jasper.

"How can a place and a person be a home?" she asked.

"**Home is where you feel you belong**. Like Lapis said, I'm actually my own gem here, not just a marked-up copy. Steven made me feel different and I liked that. So I wanted to stay with him, and if that means staying on Earth then so be it. Plus the donuts and pizza are a nice bonus" Jasper joked.

"For me, even when I went back to home world, it wasn't as how I remembered it. It felt wrong. Heh…I should be grateful that you guys brought me back to Earth. My memories might still be a little fuzzy about everything that happened during the war, but I would've missed out on making new memories and experiences here with him on this planet. This feels right to me" Lapis added.

"So I need to compare the feelings I have for home world compared to here?" asked Peridot.

"Yep. And if you still want to go back home…**that's your call.**" Jasper said.

Peridot wiped the mist out of her eyes, closed them and took a deep breath to steady her thoughts. After a few minutes, she started shaking. "I'M SUCH A STUPID CLOD!" she blurted out, causing Lapis and Jasper to flinch. "I've only been here for what…twenty earth rotations and it's a heck of a lot better than all the time spent on home world! How could I even think about leaving this place? Leaving **him**?!" she angrily cried.

"That's stinkin' thinkin' for you" Jasper commented.

"Stinkin' thinkin' sucks!" she declared.

"You can say that again. And I don't mean that literally" Jasper clarified when she noticed her about to shout from the top of her illusionary lungs.

"Heh…even these strange and sometimes contradictory Earth sayings are way better to listen to than the harsh orders of my manager" Peridot laughed as Lapis helped her stand up.

"It's a process Peridot, you'll get there and we'll help each other" Lapis assured.

"Th-thank you Lazuli. And you too Jasper. And Lazuli, I'm s-sorry too for how I treated you before" Peridot apologized.

"Don't mention it. As far as I'm concerned, **that** version of Peridot doesn't exist anymore" she smiled and Peridot awkwardly smiled back.

But the blissful mood was broken when the whole house started shaking. Everyone ran back to the window and saw the knee cap shaped ship right in front of everyone.

"Lapis, you ready?" Jasper asked.

The blue gem closed her eyes, flexed her arms out and felt the energy of the ocean course through her body. "Ready" she answered as she opened her eyes.

Everyone kept their eyes glued to the battle ready gems, waiting for Garnet's signal.

"D-Do you think Yellow Diamond is able to see any of this?" Peridot asked.

A big smirk formed on Jasper's lips and she replied, "I sure hope she can. I'd give up my arm to see the look on her face after we take care of this squad."

"You don't think Garnet will want to keep'em trapped in a bubble forever…do you?" Lapis asked.

"For a little bit, but not for long. Not if Steven has anything to say about it. Hope you're ready for our team to be bigger. We're probably going to need another base soon" Jasper smiled.

* * *

_**Back down on the beach…**_

Everyone faced the stationary space ship in front of them with unwavering determination. No one even flinched when an orb emerged from the top of the ship, revealing the shadowed sole occupant.

…Or so they thought.

"Hmm?" Levon looked towards the left side of the beach, in the direction of the abandoned warehouse. All of a sudden, he opened his mouth like he was snarling and panting at the same time.

Connie picked up on this and asked, "Levon? What's wrong?"

Before he could answer, the massive gem jumped into the air and landed in front of them, spraying sand dust everywhere. Every shielded their eyes from the debris.

"**This is what I have to deal with? Psssh. Pathetic. She was right, I can handle this" **a voice spoke.

Soon the dust cloud dispersed, revealing the threating gem. Everyone's eyes widened at the sight of the titanic warrior, but Amethyst was the most petrified out of all of them. She even dropped her weapon.

The foreign gem was a little bit shorter than Levon and had the muscular girth to complement her impressive height. Her rounded face was framed by her long, lavender locks. It was decorated with a small upturned nose, fierce looking eyes with indigo colored pupils and plump lips. She wore a uniform that was almost a carbon copy to Jasper's. The only difference was instead of being shades of oranges, they were shades of **purple**, just like her solid skin tone.

"…_No way"_ Amethyst breathed out as she collapsed to her knees. But once she saw the eerily similar faceted gemstone on her left shoulder, she knew it wasn't some horrible dream. This was what she was **supposed **to be. This was a true –

"**A-Amethyst?"** Levon hesitantly spoke.

"**Yep, that's my name. Too bad you guys won't be alive to remember it."**

* * *

**Hoo Boy...talk about an identity crisis. How will Amethyst handle her "complete and perfect" counterpart? And Levon might have to put Rudy to good use a lot sooner than expected. Will Pitch Black complete her mission and claim a prize in the process? Tune in next time for "One on One" which won't be out until July. In addition to my mom and aunt's b-days this month, I have a lot of studying and CPR training to do in order to pass my final to be a personal fitness trainer. Thanks for your understanding and for all your support.  
**

**Levon, the perfect cinnamon sugar donut with Steven's sweetness and Lion's spiciness. At least he didn't get hurt this time around. I hope you were able to discern who was taking control during certain situations. Poor Greg...his heart can't catch a break ;P  
**

**I based Rudy off of the Krudzu hybrid hydra from the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series as well as kudzu plant. Those things spread like wild fire, just taking over everything. **

**And if you guys want to listen, those lyrics are from Prince(RIP) "Song of the Heart" from the moive "Happy Feet"**

**I don't Steven Universe nor Prince's music catalogue, just my imaginative capabilities.**


	38. Chapter 38

A tentative zephyr stirred the sand grains around the soles of the potential opponents. The high rise afternoon sun served as a perfect back drop to what could've been a revised yet classic western showdown.

"You need to leave. **Now.**" ordered the two-gem sheriff.

Normally her two partners would jump in with their own intimidating demands, but they were still too shocked at who the intruder was to even formulate any syllables.

The lone purple stranger smirked at the fusion and sneered, "Heh, now **that's** a good one. You're actually telling **me** to leave the place where I was **formed**? Yea…that ain't gonna happen."

Amethyst's eyes became as wide as dinner plates when she heard that startling piece of information about her "brethren".

"This may have been the place where you were born, but you came back with the intent to destroy it! And we're not going to let that happen!" Garnet countered as she clenched her gauntleted fists.

"Heh…I'd like to see you try. I mean, seriously?! You pebbles were the cause of the distress call Yellow Diamond got?" she asked as she looked her opponents up and down before her incriminating gaze fell upon Levon. "…Well, at least you look like a formidable opponent. I don't know what the heck you are, but you're obviously the **leader** of this ragtag group. You must've been the one who decimated the first team we sent. Well, whatever. They were a bunch of defective crags anyway, so you actually did us a favor. **Almost**. Still gotta clean up after'em though."

Levon's pupils narrowed into little slits when he heard those demeaning words about his family.

"Once you're out of the way, your servants will be easy pickings" she sneered.

"They're not my servants!" Levon roared back.

"…You're right. My mistake" she smirked. "You have a sorry excuse for a gem weapon, an outdated Pearl that needs to be melted down and put out of her sorry existence, a personal sword-holding organic puppet, and a runt that wouldn't even make a decent snack for Yellow Diamond's Thibursus. Is she you're pet or something?" she asked as she pointed to Amethyst, causing her to flinch. "Then again, when you're out in the boonies you make do with what you got" she added before releasing a snide chuckle.

Levon looked over to see their reactions to her horrid words. When he saw Amethyst's…needless to say it made his blood boil.

Connie, Garnet and Pearl still remained razor-focused and rooted in their fighting stances – no doubt having built up an impenetrable wall due to all the years of dealing with belittling barbs that have been shot their way.

But Amethyst didn't have that armor. She was down on all fours, her hair creating a makeshift shield around her mind. Her whole body was shaking and he could distinctly make out subdued hiccups. But he wasn't the only one who heard it.

"Pssh! Pathetic. Even if she is a runt and your pet, an Amethyst should a have a little more dignity than that. Makes me sick just looking at **it! **I mean seriously, what in the world is she wearing? What kind of appearance modifiers are those? They look like they should be used to the clean the hull of my ship. That **thing** gives us **real** Amethysts a bad name. Guess I'll be doing it a favor by smashing it to dust" the home-world Amethyst spoke as she cracked her knuckles.

Having heard enough, Levon bared his saber-toothed fangs at her. But before he could launch his verbal counter attack, someone else did it for him.

"YOU SHUT UP!" Pearl yelled, startling the intruding gem. Amethyst looked up at the irate, blue-flushed gem through her wet, wide eyes. "Our Amethyst has more honor and strength in her pinky than you do in your whole construct! If you **dare **to even take one step towards her, I'll slice your head off and feed your gem to Rudy!" she threatened.

"…_Pearl_" Amethyst whispered as she wiped her eyes.

"…You got a lot of nerve, you piece of sheet rock. Your words amount to nothing more than a big ol' pile of Novalak dung" she spat before chuckling to herself. "Heh. Y'know, I thought your pet was pathetic. But having a Pearl defend her…that's just downright sad. It's so sad that it's funny!" she laughed.

Sensing the futility of trying to reason with her, Levon closed his eyes, took a deep breath and followed his tiger mentor's first rule. "_If I don't have a clear mind…I've already lost the battle" _he internally chanted as he reopened his eyes and glared at her.

"What? You actually got something to say? Or you gonna have that human puppet talk for you now too?" the home-world Amethyst asked when she saw Levon glaring at her.

"**Look**"

Just like before when he traded himself for Lapis, everything paused around him. Even the intruding Amethyst gave him her full attention.

"I know things are different on Home World than they are here. There's no love…no compassion…and I can't fault you for that because you were raised that way. **But…**"

Home-world Amethyst gulped when she saw his own version of a scary glare. His irises were glowing like a hot white fire, piercing through and shattering her tough persona.

"Every action has a positive or negative _reaction_, even if it's done out of ignorance. And if you think I'm going to stand here and let you spew more stinkin' thinkin' words about my **friend and family**, then get ready because I'm gonna use every ounce of power I have to defend them!" he snarled as he got down on all fours. A small raised hair ridge appeared on his back as he moved his shoulder blades up and down, preparing to pounce.

The brash intruder was starting to look like she was all brass as she took one miniscule step backwards. An arrow of sheer gratitude pierced through the hearts of the crystal team, causing a small smile to appear on their faces. They gazed upon their fused hunter, not even perturbed in the slightest by his intimidating body language.

But for Amethyst, it did something so much more. Before he could lunge at the home-world intruder she yelled, "Levon, DON'T!"

Immediately, the glow in his eyes disappeared and everyone gave her their attention. Amethyst stood tall with a pair of triple tipped whips, all surging with her powerful gem energy.

"**She's mine"** she declared as she walked towards her complete counterpart.

"What?!" everyone asked in disbelief.

"You heard me. I got this" she repeated.

Having her nerves restored due to the ludicrous declaration home-world Amethyst sneered, "Well…looks like you got some ore in you after all. But seriously? You think you can take **me** on by yourself? And I thought _rubies_ were dumb."

A small snarl erupted from Garnet's lips and although it was covered by her sunglasses, her red eye twitched in agitation from the prejudicial statement.

But Amethyst didn't back down. She struck the sand behind her creating a semi-circle line – an invisible barrier signaling to the rest of her comrades not to interfere. Pearl made a move to go to her, but Garnet held her back and shook her head. She understood and took a deep breath to steady her anxious mind.

"Heh…guess you really mean business huh?" she asked her smaller counterpart when Amethyst looked at her with narrowed eyes. She reached for her gem on her left shoulder and pulled out a merlot-colored, nunchaku-type weapon that was nearly double the size of Amethyst's triple-tipped whips. It had a massive sickle with a purple gemstone embedded where the blade connected to the pole. On the other end was a ball weight that resembled a shot put with studded purple gem spikes.

"…**Kusarigama**" Connie uttered.

"What?" Levon asked.

"She has a kusarigama. It's a dangerous weapon designed to entangle an opponent's weapon or their feet, making them defenseless. Then the attacker rushes in and **QRRK**" she explained as did a slashing motion across her throat.

"What?!" Levon asked as he returned his wide-eye gaze back to the scene in front of them.

She effortlessly swung the ball end of the whip around in a circle along the side of her body. "To think I'd be doing a good ol' fashioned diamond pit match here on my home turf. Just wish it was with a better opponent."

That elicited a growl out of Amethyst as she got into her fighting stance.

"At least this'll be a decent warm-up. Once I'm done with you, your master and your group of rag-tag crags are next!" she shouted.

"Whaja say? I'm sorry, I don't speak **dumb**" Amethyst shot back.

That garnered a few chuckles out of the children, but Garnet and Pearl remained silent. That small cheer from her little brother caused her to cheekily grin at her opponent.

Home-world Amethyst furrowed her brows and seethed, "Oh, you got jokes huh? Well here's my punchline!" Before she could launch the spike ball at her, Garnet quickly shot her ruby embedded gauntlet into the air like a firecracker.

* * *

_Back in the house…_

"**NOW!"** Jasper yelled when she saw the signal.

Lapis raised her arms and two massive water hands rose out of the ocean.

They observed the intruding Amethyst turn around and let her mouth hang open in shock. They could see her lips moving, but couldn't make out what she was saying. Although it was a safe bet that she was asking…or rather** demanding**…what in the world was going on.

Lapis flexed her fingers, causing the fingers of her water hands to forcibly grab the space craft. She lowered her arms, thereby lowering the ship to the depths of the ocean.

"Great job Lapis. That takes care of that" Jasper commended and Lapis smiled while giving her a slight nod.

"Yes…but that Amethyst doesn't look too happy" Peridot nervously said when she quickly closed the blinds just to make sure that Amethyst didn't have the sensible idea to look at the house. She carefully peeked through them to see the enraged gem thrash about and yelling all kinds of words. Even Pearl quickly climbed on top of Levon and covered his ears until her tirade was over. Then they noticed Garnet say something to her before the rest of the team climbed to the grassy alcove and sat down on the sandy/floral barrier line, with Amethyst still standing in the self-made arena.

"At least it's a fair fight. None of them have anything they can fall back on" Jasper commented.

"D-Do you think our Amethyst can win?" Peridot asked.

"If she keeps her mind calm, she can. But that other Amethyst's presence alone was enough to rattle her, so I'm not sure. But you can best believe that Levon will utterly maul her if she does happen to win" she replied.

"I don't understand why she stopped him from attacking her in the first place! In fact, Lazuli you should drag her to the bottom of the ocean as well" Peridot suggested.

"No!" Jasper countered.

"Why on Earth not?! It'd make things so much easier!" she exasperated.

"**She's needs this to validate herself and we need to respect that**" Jasper answered.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Really? I'd thought you of all gems would understand. **She's defective**. Just like you and how I was until my little "shock therapy". This is just like a battle between new quartzes in the Geode Dome, trying to prove themselves in front of the diamonds. It's no different than you studying every kind of information available and being able to fix just about anything in order to even be on par with the other Peridots" she explained.

"I guess even after all the support she's received…a bit of her still felt inferior to the rest of them" Lapis surmised.

Peridot slowly nodded her head in understanding. She tightly clenched her floating fingers and closed her eyes. _"…It's still in me too"_ she thought but was taken out of them when she heard a loud **BOOM** "Wh-What the?!"

Soon everyone's faces were plastered against the window trying to see the ensuing melee.

The battlefield was covered in a purple haze. Amethyst was the first one to emerge out of the smoke, all rolled up in her spin dash form. Then she jumped high into the air before unfurling and lashing her whips at her opponent.

"HA! She's got her now!" Peridot cheered as the whips latched onto home-world Amethyst's massive left arm, but Jasper replied "I wouldn't bet on it."

And true to her observation home-world Amethyst jerked her arm down, bringing Amethyst in close to deliver a nasty right hook square on her cheek, sending her crashing against the mountain side.

"Ooooo!" all of them cringed. Even the house shook a little bit due to the impact.

Then they saw Levon, Connie and Pearl stand up and shout her name. Just as they were about to run to their fallen comrade, they were stopped by her powerful voice.

"**DON'T**!" she yelled.

All of them reluctantly sat back down as she slowly made her way back to the battle circle. They could see the larger Amethyst laughing her head off and saying something to her, no doubt talking some smack talk.

"C'mon Amethyst…get her" Peridot silently cheered.

"Jasper, do you know who she is?" Lapis asked.

"No clue. Peridot, can you scan her and pull up her file?" Jasper asked.

"Huh? Oh right!" Peridot engaged her holo-pad and got a reading on her energy signature. "Hmmm…according to this, that's Amethyst Facet AH08 Cut L6G. She was created on Earth when it was first colonized. She was shipped to quadrant 2 of the Kungilax system shortly after she was formed."

"…You don't say" Jasper commented.

"Indeed. Talk about unfavorable fortuity for our Amethyst's mental psyche. But this is odd. It says here that she was decommissioned until further notice. Apparently her former manager described her as a "ferocious warrior with an impatient and reckless nature combined with poor decision making abilities" she read.

"So a cracked loose cannon?" Lapis surmised.

"Pretty much" Peridot agreed.

Jasper crossed her arms and paced around the living room. "…This doesn't make any sense. Yellow Diamond's been waiting since the end of the rebellion for the cluster to emerge. Why in the world would she send someone who's a few shards short to check on such an important project?" she asked out loud.

"Maybe…maybe she was **re-educated**" Peridot cautiously suggested, given Jasper's history with that process.

Jasper stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the green gem that was fiddling with her fingers. Little sweat beads slid down her head as she stuttered, "I-I mean I don't have access to the latest files since I've been here, so it could be that this is her last shot to redeem herself. W-Wait no! That's not what I meant! I mean-"

"Peridot" Jasper calmly called out as she put her hand on her shoulder; Peridot did flinch a little bit under her touch. "It's okay" she replied, and Peridot sighed in relief. "That's actually a plausible explanation. But it still doesn't explain why she was sent here **alone**."

"…Maybe she wasn't" Lapis deduced.

"YEA! What?" Peridot questioned/cheered when she saw Amethyst land a spinning backflip kick, knocking her home-world copy to the ground. "She was the only one that came out of the pod."

"I don't know about that. I could've sworn I saw Levon look in another direction as soon as that Amethyst emerged from the capsule" Lapis defended.

"What? I didn't see him do that…then again I was just staring at the ship" Peridot admitted.

"Yea, me too. Lazuli, did you see anything else?" Jasper asked.

"Well, it looked like he was making this face" she demonstrated as she imitated his panting/snarling expression.

"That almost resembles the face he made when he poured that foul-smelling dirt for Rudy" Peridot commented. "Do you think he picked up on a gem's scent?"

"If he did, she must've smelled **horrible**" Lapis concluded.

As soon as she said that, Jasper's hair went limp and her pupils shrunk. "Wait a sec…a gem too fast for the eyes to see…foul smell…Lazuli! Are you absolutely sure you saw Levon act like that?" she frantically asked as she put her hands on Lapis' shoulders, causing her to flinch.

"Y-Yes, I'm pretty sure. Why? What's wrong?" she nervously asked when she saw Jasper's panicked state. She quickly got up from under her grip and Jasper just stood there…petrified.

"This is bad. **Really** bad! If she's here…oh sheet rock we are so screwed!" she uttered as she ran both of her hands through her hair.

Tiny electrical surges coursed through Peridot's body; she had never seen Jasper so scared before. And that was saying something considering she was going to fight that monstrous creation that formed in the underground cavern until Steven's singing subdued it. Not to mention whatever horrors she faced during the war.

"Jasper, what're you talking about?! Who's here?! Who?!" Peridot frantically asked as she got off of the window seat, grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around and slightly shook her.

Well… tried to.

Her little frame couldn't do anything against a full-size quartz solider. It was only because Jasper was so shell-shocked that she was even able to turn her around in the first place. But it didn't matter, she wanted an answer and she wanted one now!

"…**Pitch Black**" Jasper spoke.

Okay, she didn't want **that** answer.

Peridot's pupils shrunk as well and her digits fell limp to the floor like raindrops on the roof. But she tried to laugh it off, thinking that was just some kind of sick joke. "C-C'mon Jasper. Surely you're joking-"

"**Does it look like I'm joking?!"**she snapped and Peridot covered her face with her arms, bracing for any attack.

Jasper immediately caught herself and stuttered, "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that…of all gems why did it have to be her?!"

"Guys, hold on! Who's Pitch Black?" Lapis asked, tired of being left in the dark so to speak.

Peridot tried to expand her holo-pad, but it kept glitching every couple of seconds due to the nervous electrical pulses traversing through her body.

"Peridot. You have to relax" Jasper commanded.

She looked at the composed yet still perturbed gem, then took a deep breath to demolish her building anxiety. "…Commander Jet. Facet K1LL Cut D7E. Also known as **Pitch Black**" Peridot read as she pulled up her file and known picture.

Lapis looked at the photo and shuddered. "…Something's not natural about her" she commented as she stared at the ice-blue eyes, the only part of her body that wasn't covered in tattered black appearance modifiers.

"That's putting it lightly. She is a first class warrior, which is exceptionally rare given her gem type. Her speed and stealth as well as her unbridled strength are supposedly only rivaled to that of the diamonds themselves. Which is why Yellow Diamond keeps such close tabs on her" Peridot explained.

"Because she's afraid that Pitch will do something to her?" Lapis asked.

"What? What sense does that make?" Peridot questioned.

"It's an Earth saying Amethyst taught me. _Keep your friends close and your enemies closer._ It means to keep a close eye on your enemies so they don't get the jump on you" she replied.

"…That's still a stupid saying. But no, Yellow keeps her close because she's the only one that can keep her in line. It's rumored that when she emerged, she slaughtered all of the other gems in her kindergarten. She even attacked Silver…err… I mean **White Diamond**…when she came to check on its progress since the planet she was made on was under her jurisdiction. I wonder what Yellow did to her in order to make her comply?" she wondered.

"_I can only imagine_" Jasper muttered.

"Where was she made?" Lapis asked.

"Hmmm…it says she was made on the planet **Ronidin **in the Gamma kindergarten. It had been a viable colony for many years, but ever since she was made Home World decided to abandon it. Most likely to prevent another one of her from being created. I mean if one could take out a whole kindergarten…I don't even want to think about the carnage that could happen if there were more of them" Peridot shuddered.

"Funny…you'd think the diamonds would **want** more of her since we are a space-faring race designed to conqueror other worlds. I guess even they have their limits" Jasper said.

"So why is she called Pitch Black?" Lapis asked.

"The reason she's called that is because she's an assassin and her black body is the last thing you see before you're destroyed…if you're lucky. Not to mention for whatever reason she smells like the smelting chamber…otherwise known as the **harvest zone**" Peridot explained.

"…Garnet was right after all. Yellow **did** send a reconnaissance gem, and she isn't messing around this time either. But why send her with an escort? Pitch **hates** working with other gems. Heh…I guess she's kinda like how I was. You have to earn her respect before she'll even consider you a level **below** her" Jasper bitterly chuckled.

"…To distract us!" Lapis realized when they saw Amethyst get kicked high into the sky.

Before her home-world doppelganger could knock her back down onto the sand, she revved up and covered herself with her whips, creating a rolling spike ball. She slammed into her but the burly gem blocked it at the last second to avoid major damage.

"That does seem logical. After all, our mission was to check on the cluster's status. Just in and out before it hatches. That's probably her mission as well" Peridot surmised.

"But…does that mean Yellow already knows about Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and Steven?" Lapis asked.

"Well…Steven did say that the diamonds have a connection. So if she can still feel Rose's presence within her, then it's a safe bet that she knows that she's here in one form or another. Not to mention she most likely has access to Peridot's intel files. But I bet she doesn't share that info with just **anybody**. Pitch and that Amethyst probably only got little bits and pieces, just enough to complete the mission. The last thing she needs is to have gems be reminded of the fact that she **failed**. Although with our skewed history, it'll still seem like Rose was just a traitor that was banished to Earth for all eternity. But we already knew that she might be coming back to Earth. And after we deal with this latest group, that's gonna be a forgone conclusion" Jasper explained.

"…I know." she slowly replied.

"Hey, don't be like that. He'll be fine. He's got us right? Plus I can't wait to see Yellow's face when she sees that these group of "defects" kept the Earth intact." Jasper assured with her cocky grin. She made a move to put her hand on Lapis' shoulder to reassure her, but remembered how she wasn't comfortable with certain touches yet. Then it dawned on her that she must've really scared her when she touched her while she was freaking out about Pitch. She looked at the ground and slowly backed away.

Suddenly Lapis grabbed her hand to stop her from retreating. Jasper looked at her and saw one thing she wasn't expecting. _A smile and an appreciative nod_ – signaling that she praised the thought behind the action and thankful that she still respected her personal boundaries.

Jasper returned the gesture with her own apologetic smile and Lapis released her from her soft grip. But Lapis' smile faded and she began to rub her arms as if she was trying to warm herself up. "I'm not worried about us fighting her. I'm worried about **him** fighting her. And not just her. What if Silver and my previous diamond show up too? I-I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it. That's just who he is. He's a natural born protector and I'm scared that he'll take it upon himself to fight while keeping us out of it so we don't get hurt" she explained.

"Then I'm honored to be in his court, so to speak. Because you can best believe that I won't let anything happen to my little cub. Even if I have to knock him out and throw him to the next galaxy so they can never find him" Jasper declared and her comrades nodded their heads in agreement.

"_And I'm gonna start now" _she thought before asking, "You said you saw Levon looking in that direction?" as she pointed to the left and Lapis nodded her head.

"That makes sense. If she jumped over-head, there would've been a shadow on the ground, no matter how fast she is. I bet she's already at the kindergarten" Jasper concluded.

"W-What are we going to do?" Peridot nervously asked.

"You **two** are going to stay here. I'm going to the kindergarten" she answered.

"And do what?! You can't beat her!" Peridot countered.

"Wow…thanks for the vote of confidence" she quoted.

"Jasper, we're serious. If this Pitch Black gem has you this scared-"

"**I'm not scared.** Unsettled yes, but not scared" she corrected.

"Whatever you want to call it, she'll crush your gem before you can even blink!" Lapis finished.

"Don't worry Lazuli. I have a plan" she assured, but Peridot gave her a deadpanned look.

"That doesn't exactly inspire confidence" she bluntly said when she re-called her "so-called" plan to get her help. It was…unconventional to say the least.

"I know it doesn't…all things considered. But it's like you keep saying Lazuli. I care about you gems so I know everything will turn out alright. And it'll be in the most unexpected way, especially with the way things have been going so far. For all I know, donuts might fall out of the sky" Jasper finished as she shifted her uniform back to its original look.

"…Hopefully I won't have to wear this for too long" she muttered as she stared at the yellow diamond insignia on her chest. "Once their battle is over, you can tell them where I am. Garnet might have the best shot to beat her due to her future vision. But I'm not planning on losing either! So just think of it as insurance. Who knows, I probably just gave us unnecessary fissures over nothing" she chuckled but Lapis and Peridot weren't buying it.

The green gem closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "I still think you're insane. Everything about this is completely insane! But…I guess I am too since I chose to stay here." She opened her slightly moist eyes and stared at the striped gem. "Just…just promise us you'll be okay" she meekly said.

Jasper nodded her head and replied, "Quartz honor" before ruffling her hair. And this time Peridot didn't mind at all, even garnering a small chuckle out of her.

Once she was done with her playful caresses, Lapis approached her…but she was looking at the ground. Jasper quirked one eyebrow up. Before she could ask anything, Lapis suddenly grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

"…If you don't come back, that'll make Steven sad. I'll take back my forgiveness if you make him cry" she harshly whispered as she looked up at her.

Jasper returned the firm grip and replied, "Wouldn't dream of it. Shoot, I'd smash myself if I made him cry again." Lazuli nodded her head and let go of her so she could go up to Steven's loft.

"Uh…Jasper? Why aren't you going onto the warp pad?" Peridot asked.

"Pitch'll hear the stream from a mile away. Best if I go covert" she explained as she shrunk her muscular frame a little bit so she could fit through the window. She silently landed on the ground; thankfully the captivated audience didn't turn around. She caught a glimpse of the weary combatants before speeding off towards the desolate area to engage in what Steven would describe as the boss of the final level.

* * *

_Back on the beach..._

"How's that dirt taste punk?!" home-world Amethyst berated when she saw her mini counterpart struggling to get up after landing another vicious hit to her side from her spiked ball, sending her face first into the sand.

"Amethyst!" the concerned crowd called out.

She slowly lifted her head up, shook the grains off of her face and stood on her shaky legs. Then in an unexpected move, she grabbed a handful of sand and shoved it into her mouth. "Actually…not too bad! Just needs some hot sauce" she yelled back as she swallowed the coarse substance; everyone cringed when they saw her do that.

But all that did was cause a boisterous laugh to erupt out of her opponent's illusionary vocal chords, especially when Amethyst collapsed to one knee out of exhaustion.

"In that case, why don't you lick the dirt off of my boots like a good little pet" she sneered.

"STOP CALLING HER THAT!" Levon and Connie yelled.

She crossed her arms and countered, "Why should I? Runts like her are either pets or they're harvested. Of course with her tiny size she probably couldn't power a basic conduit line."

Before the enraged audience could refute her statement, Amethyst quickly stood back up, summoned another pair of whips and yelled to them, "STAY OUT OF IT!"

That silenced the crowd, but Levon huffed through his nose out of annoyance with her attitude. Then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes…trying to focus…to reconnect.

"Navi?" he internally called out.

_"I'm here Steven. Or Levon I should say. You look extremely cute by the way." _

He grinned when she said that but his blissful smile turned upside down when he heard their savage verbal duel.

"Heh…whatever. It's your funeral. And soon it'll be theirs too" she commented before swinging the ball end of her whip.

"That ball you keep swingin' ain't gonna be the only thing rollin' when I knock you upside the head!" she fired back.

"HAH! Gem, you funny! Are you a jester too? You should be, because everything you say is a joke! **Your entire existence is a joke**!" she laughed. She had to stop spinning her ball because she had to clutch her sides since she was laughing so hard.

Amethyst froze in place when those vile words entered her soul. Pearl immediately put her hands up to her mouth in shock and Garnet popped her knuckles because she was clenching her fists so tight. Amethyst gripped her whip handles and started shaking, willing herself not to let any tears spring from her sockets.

"…Amethyst" Pearl whispered to herself as she sat up and cautiously walked over to her. And this time Garnet didn't stop her.

Connie watched her sword teacher walk over to the rattled gem, then turned her attention towards Levon to see how he was reacting. Needless to say she was stunned to see him in such a tranquil meditative state. Although upon closer inspection, she saw that his muzzle was twitching a little bit and the orbs on the backs of his hands were pulsing with a faint light. Almost like a heartbeat.

"Levon" she quietly called out so as not to make a scene towards the other gems. No response.

Then she tried gently shaking him. Still no response…well save for him furrowing his eyebrows as if he was agitated about something.

"_What's going on with him?"_ she worriedly thought until a troublesome realization passed through her mind. _"…He's absorbing the negative energy!"_ Immediately she grabbed the hilt of her sword and held it up, ready to attack anything that came out of him.

Well…she wasn't too far off for the reason why he was in a semi-comatose state.

"Navi…I-I can feel it. But I can't think of any lyrics for a song let alone a melody. Can you help me out?"

"_I'm afraid spontaneous songs aren't my forte. That was all you as well."_

"Then what do I do?" he asked.

"_**Talk to it**__"_ she simply replied.

"What?! That's it?" he incredulously asked.

"_You did the same thing when that jackal-like creature tried to overtake Stevonnie. Singing may have drawn them out before, but in the end its still words. Some people respond better to songs, others poetry or even a causal conversation. It's just that your words are combined with your comforting light. Now it's time to burn away those stinkin' thinkin' thoughts before they consume her. But Levon…__**you have to be firm**__. Do not relent, no matter what. You already know that they're some things buried deep within her that were eating at her for many many years. This won't be easy for her, but if anyone can help her, it's you."_ And with that little bit of advice, her sagely voice disappeared.

He reopened his eyes in time to see Pearl almost near the broken gem. "Amethyst…you know that isn't true-"

"D-Don't" she choked out as she wiped her eyes.

"But-"

**SISHSSSSSHH**

Pearl's comforting words were cut off when Amethyst struck the sand again, causing her to stumble and fall on her bottom.

"What did I say?!" she cried out. "I don't need your pity! I got this!"

But in Levon's eyes…she had already lost.

"So just shut-"

"**ENOUGH!**" he roared, silencing the soul-shattered gem.

"Connie" he whispered.

"Y-Yes?" she answered as she quickly sprung to her feet with sword in hand.

"Get ready…and be careful" he said and she nodded her head.

He stood up and walked down the dual-terrain slope until he was solely on the beach. He helped Pearl to her feet, kneeled down and gently brushed the sand off of her.

"You okay?" he whispered and she nodded her head before making her way over towards Garnet and Connie.

Levon surged to his feet and towered over the confused gem. She looked up at the imposing fusion, eyes ablaze with a harsh white light. And just like it did with the intruder Amethyst, it peered into the heart of his fun mom.

"Heh, 'bout time you put that mongrel in her-" Before she could even finish her snide sentence, Levon bared his fangs and growled at her, effectively shutting down the loud-mouthed gem. With that done, he turned his attention back to his disheartened family member.

"Amethyst…**You're lost.**"

"What?! She didn't beat me! I-"

"You're lost and in turn **you've lost**" he clarified.

"Levon, don't you **dare** start getting all cryptic on me!" she seethed.

"Then at least I've gotten your attention" he countered and she didn't have a comeback for that. "This isn't you Amethyst. You've faced gems ten times her size without even batting an eye, but with her all it takes a couple of words to throw you off your game? Really?! This is what the champion of the Beach City Wrestling Federation has become?" he asked.

"What?! So you're gonna make fun of me now too?" she yelled.

"I'm not making fun of you. What do you want me to say? Pearl tried to use soft words and you shut her down. I go on the opposite spectrum since that's what she's doing and you're taking in everything she says yet you shut me down! So which is it?!" he fumed.

"GRAGH!" she grunted before kicking up a dust cloud and running her hands through her hair.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his muzzle. "Are you sure about this Navi? I don't want to rush her. You said I need to take my time-"

"_Yes, __**you **__need to take your time to be a great leader. But you're on the right path to discovering your own true self. __**She's not.**__ And unfortunately this intruder is causing her bottled up negative emotions to consume her. She needs this Levon and she needs it now! She can't conquer this on her own; she hasn't been able to for thousands of years. __**You have force it out of her before she's broken permanently.**__"_

He released a heavy sigh and opened his eyes. "Amethyst."

"WHAT?!" she yelled.

"_Words…are like silverware._"

"**Huh?"** was the collective response as everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions.

"They can either lift you up like a spoon or they can stab and cut you like a knife and fork. When we were wrestling together…you told me not to let **anyone** make me feel like garbage. So why are you making not only her words but our words into weapons? Especially since she doesn't know anything else other than that kind of stinkin' thinkin' environment?" he asked.

"Hey! You callin' me dumb!?" the home-world version shouted but immediately shut her mouth when Levon glared at her again.

"Not dumb…just misinformed and misguided. So be quiet and listen. You might learn something new" he responded.

"Pssh! Like I'd listen to anything a freak like you has to say" she fired back.

"…**Then that's your call**. But as far as I'm concerned, I only want **one** thing to listen to what I have to say" he said and redirected his gaze back to his agitated friend.

Amethyst's eyes darted across the sand as she tried to come up with a response to his previous question.

"Why did you want to fight her by yourself?" he asked.

"Jeez! What's with all these questions?! And you already know the answer!" she shot back.

"Amethyst. I am a combination of organic and inorganic components, but I am **not **a mind reader. Why did you want to fight her by yourself?" he asked again.

Amethyst looked at the ground again and clenched her hands into tight little fists.

"Well?"

"Well what?! It doesn't matter! I said I was I fighting her and I said I would handle it! It's none of your business!" she yelled.

"**It is my business Amethyst!**" he roared back, causing her to flinch. "This is **our** home and she's trying to destroy it! But instead of letting us help you, even encourage you, you chose to carry this heavy burden by yourself! Why in the world would you want to do that?!"

Amethyst turned head to the side so as not to show her leaking eye. The anxious crowd looked on with anticipation as to what her answer would be. Even the enemy Amethyst banished her weapon, crossed her arms and watched the scene unfold.

"I…I don't know" she stuttered.

"Don't give me that! You do know and I want you to tell me why!" he countered.

Pearl gulped when she heard him use that tone of voice. It was eerily similar to when Steven spoke to her before Dark Stevonnie was formed.

"_Oh no_" she thought. Before she could approach the irritated fusion, Garnet held her back.

"Garnet…please. I-I think he's-"

"He's not turning into **Dark Levon**" she whispered back before she could finish her sentence.

"Aren't you listening to the way he's talking to her?" Pearl asked.

"He's not talking to _her_" she answered.

"What? What are you talking about?! Are your glasses dirty? If he's not talking to her, then who's he talking to?!" she demanded.

"**He's talking to the negative monster forming inside of her"** Connie answered.

Pearl looked down and saw her protégé gripping the hilt of sword for dear life. But she wasn't afraid. Her determined gaze relayed that she was ready to spring into action to help protect her fused friend against another enemy.

"W-What?" Pearl asked.

"This…This is just like what he did when those voices tried to take over us when we were Stevonnie. He spoke to them with such conviction and authority. It may have taken a few tries, but they finally left us alone" she explained.

"What?!" was all Pearl could say and Connie meekly nodded her head.

"Yea…but it was a lot scarier. Good thing he has a lot of experience in dealing with...this" she said. "_And he has Navi too" _she thought.

"But…But he's not singing. It looks like he's antagonizing her…it…whatever! What if-"

"Pearl, it'll be okay. Levon loves Amethyst and wouldn't do anything to hurt her. I can sense how it pains him to be so rough with her. But sometimes…love needs a firm hand. This isn't any different than Greg or us punishing him so he can learn from his mistakes. Or us asking multiple questions to get to the root of a problem" Garnet said cutting her off.

All of them nodded their heads at that assessment before returning their gaze back towards the volatile interrogation. Unbeknownst to them, his main gem started to flicker with a pulsing pink light.

"I told you I don't know!" she cried out.

"And I said don't give me that! Every action has a reaction and you wanted something to come out of this duel, so what is it!?" he yelled back.

She grinded her teeth together as the pressure kept building inside of her head, the truth just begging to be released. But the stubbornness of the enemy combined with her low self-esteem just wouldn't let it go.

"**Amethyst!" **

"GRRRRRRRAH! JUST SHUT UP!" she screamed.

* * *

**SLLLICHK**

* * *

A collective gasp from friend and foe alike echoed throughout the area once they witnessed the horrific scene. A thin dust cloud covered the area, failing miserably to conceal the carnage that had been wrought. The ocean became choppier as unnatural offshore whirlpools started to form in the far depths, causing the water to encroach and recede past its natural shoreline –even soaking the feet of the stunned enemy. But just as quickly as they came, the rapid currents disappeared without a trace.

Unfortunately, they couldn't erase the splattered marks that had been left on the once pristine sand.

The only one that didn't see what had transpired was the culprit herself due to the fact that she had her eyes completely shut in her fit of rage. Everything was tuned out, even the frantic yelling of the rest of her team as they approached the scene of the assault.

"AMETHYST!" was able to penetrate the mental sound barrier she erected around herself. She couldn't register who said it nor did she care. All that mattered to her was that her name was once again spoken in such an angry, disappointed tone. Her whole frame started shaking and her clenched fist looked like it would snap the handle of her tainted whip in half. With her back still turned to her "instigator" and the sobbing river still flowing from her sealed eyes, the conflicting pressure became too much to bear and she let it out.

"I WANTED TO BEAT ME! Alright?! She's what I'm supposed to be! I'm not this big strong warrior! I'm not even a home-world gem like Pearl and Garnet! They had status! They had a purpose! They were somebodies back home! **Even you're a flippin' king!** And I'm nothing! I'm…I'm just a **defective runt**! I…I thought if I could beat her on my own…then I could finally show that I was somebody. That I could be taken a little more seriously….y'know, be respected. That I wasn't messed up. To have _one thing_ be right about me" she trailed off.

Part of her soul was laid out for everyone to witness and hear. The only sound that reverberated across the area were her stifled hiccups.

But soon another sound joined those despairing notes, one so muted that it almost went unnoticed.

Amethyst didn't miss it though. Her eyes shot open and were furrowed in anger. When she turned around to see who had the audacity to _laugh _at her confession, she was stupefied beyond her senses. Through platter-sized eyes, she saw things that didn't make any sense.

The enemy Amethyst was just staring at them with the same gaping look as she herself was trying to comprehend the situation.

Pearl, Garnet and Connie had concerned looks on their faces as all of them were huddled around a coughing yet chuckling Levon who was struggling to even sit up. What made it even more perplexing was that even though he was laughing, dark tear lines stained his muzzle with no intent of drying up anytime soon. Not to mention he was covering his whole upper body with his massive arms. For a moment she thought he was hurting because he was laughing so hard, but his grimaced expression denounced that theory.

Cut leaves were strewn across the grainy terrain as well as these misshapen, rust-colored splatter marks.

"Heh…now **that's** what I wanted to hear" he gravelly said as a pained whimper escaped his lips.

"Levon!" the group shouted.

"You shouldn't overexert yourself! Lay down now!" Pearl commanded.

"I'm…fine. You…**GAH**have to take care of Rudy! He's…**NNGH** he's hurt!"

The said plant unwound himself from his waist and slithered up so he could rest on his knee. The top half of his body had little cuts and was devoid of leaves. Thankfully the bark was regenerating and little buds started to takes their place. However he was peeping uncontrollably.

Levon had to calm him down by nuzzling him with his muzzle, even though that small lean pained him dearly. "Rudy…it's okay. I'll be **GRR** just fine. Remember, you just recovered yourself y'know. Even though…you're not at one hundred percent…you still protected me. Thank you" he gratefully gritted out.

"Levon please…you have to lay down. What if your ribs are broken? What if you need to go to the hospital?! I should call my mom and"

"C-Connie" he coughed out. "**NNGH**I'll…be okay. At least I have these tough **HISSS** looking battle scars right?" he said as he tried to put the distressed girl at ease, but it wasn't working as tears started to well up in her eyes. The pained grunting and hissing didn't help.

Amethyst was still thoroughly confused. _"Bones? Battle scars?"_ she thought before Garnet's even-toned command snapped her out of it.

"Levon, move your arms now" she sternly spoke to the hurt fusion.

Instinctively he growled at her, no doubt his animalistic, self-preservation nature taking over. But he immediately caught himself and muttered "…Sorry"

"It's okay. I know it hurts" she softly replied as she put her hands on his arms. He hissed in discomfort when she gently moved them off of what he was hiding and what was revealed made Amethyst sick to her illusionary stomach.

There were three deep lacerations about an inch deep that cut diagonally across his body- from the left side of his abdominals all the way to his right pectoral muscle- exposing his raw, red flesh to the elements. Thankfully there wasn't any blood oozing out of them. But whatever crimson substance that previously leaked out of them stained his beautiful cotton-candy fur. No doubt it would take an insane number of Lapis' baths to remove it completely.

"…_That's blood!"_ she realized when she looked at the ground again. "What happened?" she silently asked, but no one heard her. They were too busy fussing over him and rightfully so. The force of any gem weapon would've sliced him in half if the wielder wanted too.

She was taken out of her thoughts when she saw her hurt brother hunch over and growl loudly.

"GRRRRAH! N-no…not again" he cried before he started dry heaving. That's when everyone noticed a blinding flash of pink light before it disappeared.

"_**Recovery mode!"**_everyone realized.

"Pearl! Do you have another trashcan!?" Garnet asked.

"No, I don't! And I didn't empty the other one!" she cried.

Little thorns formed on top of Rudy's back; he was scared and didn't know what was going on. He started peeping _– pleading –_ to his new friend to tell him what was wrong so he could help.

Connie immediately went behind him and started rubbing any part of his large back, just like the first time. "Levon you're okay, you're okay" she repeated, more so to keep her own mind from unravelling at the situation.

"_There's no way he'll be able to walk up the steps in his condition and we're running out of time!" _Garnet thought as she tried to turn on her future vision to see what possible solutions they could utilize. But due to her stressed state of mind, everything was blurry again. _"OH C'MON! FOCUS!"_ she internally chanted, but with Levon's growling and Rudy's peep…wait…Rudy…

"THAT'S IT" she exclaimed.

"What? What's it!?" Pearl frantically asked.

"Pearl, help me make half a bubble so-"

"Levon can throw up into it!" Pearl finished.

The duo quickly concentrated their energy and formed a large cerise-colored bubble. "Levon…I know it hurts but you need to sit up" Garnet gently commanded.

"ROOOOWRRRRRRRR!" he howled and shook his head no.

"Levon…please" Pearl pleaded through her own choked voice. She hated feeling so helpless; her baby was in pain and she couldn't even touch him!

"_This is bad! If it were just Steven it'd be easy to uncurl his small body. But now both he and Lion are experiencing the excruciating pain! And if we move him too quickly, it could cause more damage to him! C'mon future vision…work!"_ Garnet thought as she gritted her teeth.

Fortunately, another being was thinking up his own plan.

"_Sit…Up_" Rudy repeated in his own language; thankfully he can understand everyone else. He slithered to the ground in between Levon's legs and shaped his body like a horseshoe. "_Sorry Levon"_ he spoke before shooting the ends of his body right at his deltoids, propping him up slightly.

"ROARRRRR!" he wailed before closing his mouth as he felt the toxic substance rise through his esophagus.

"NOW!" commanded Garnet as both she and Pearl placed the half bubble right underneath his mouth.

"Let it go Levon!" Pearl said and not a moment later he expelled the vile blood mixture.

"_What in Home World?!"_ the enemy Amethyst thought as her whole body cringed in disgust – completely repulsed by the sickening sight.

Pearl had to close her eyes so she wouldn't faint whereas Garnet held her stance as best as she could, even though she was shaking.

Connie still kept rubbing his back, silently praying that this would end soon. Thankfully her prayers were about to be answered…though not in the way she expecting.

"HUMMMP BLAAAAAHHH"

With one last heave, Levon spit up a drenched, round mass of…something that almost splashed the bloody waste over the rim of the bubble. Fortunately Garnet sealed it in time before it got on anybody.

"W-What is that?" Connie asked as she came from in back of him.

Curiosity overtook Pearl's rational mind and she opened her eyes as well to see the floating mass. "Oh…my…rock…" she uttered as she covered her mouth.

"It's a hairball" Garnet answered as she sent the bubbled substance to the burning room.

"Roooowrrrrr….mrrrrroooooo" he moaned. Now that his body wasn't in a forced abdominal crunch, he started to lean backwards. And having Rudy push him was making him fall back faster!

"Rudy, that's enough! Pearl, help me lead him down. Connie, support his head" Garnet ordered and everyone followed her commands to the T.

Everyone got in the correct positions and all of them lead him safely to the ground so he could lie on his back. Once he was down, they noticed that the wounds didn't close up and that his breathing was shallow.

Connie kneeled down next to his head and Rudy slithered on top of his leg. "Levon…are you okay?" she quietly asked.

He slowly opened his eyes, but only half way. _"Heh…déjà vu"_ he thought when he saw all of their concerned faces before a short coughing fit ensued.

"Levon! Do you need water?!" Pearl asked and he weakly nodded his head.

She quickly summoned a two liter bottle of the electrolyte-infused water. Connie held his head up while Pearl slowly poured the water into his mouth. It was no surprise that he drank the whole bottle.

"Thank…you" he smiled and they couldn't help but smile back. Even with his body almost ripped in half, he still managed to make everyone else feel at ease.

But Amethyst wasn't at ease at all. She was as still as a statue – trying to figure out what the heck just happened. And it didn't help her troubled state of mind when Pearl said, "…I don't understand. Why didn't these gashes close up?"

"Maybe…maybe his body didn't fully recover from Dark Stevonnie" Connie said.

"What?" she asked.

"It's been only three days. He needed a little over week to recover from Jasper's attack. If he keeps using his recovery power back to back without giving it the time to fully recharge, then it'll take longer for him to heal. Not to mention…these wounds are a lot more severe than a broken wrist or a broken arm. If they had been any deeper…" Connie couldn't even bring herself to finish that sentence before little tears slid down her face.

But the gems were still lost.

"But…these are just cuts. I've patched cuts up all time. These shouldn't have been an issue for his powers to heal right away" Pearl said.

"…That's because his body wanted to heal the most important injuries first!" Garnet realized.

"What? What do you mean?" "Pearl asked.

"Look at where these cuts are. What's right below them?" she asked.

"Right below…?**GASP** **His heart…**" she realized as the colored faded from her already pale skin.

Garnet took off her glasses and crushed them in her hand. "Had that wound been any deeper…it would sliced through his heart. And even if it missed that organ, his lungs would've been damaged and he wouldn't even be breathing right now. I'm sure those and his other organs were bruised due to the impact of the blow. Just imagine what his insides could've looked like if Rudy didn't soften the attack. His body was prioritizing what was needed to survive. At least he's not bleeding" she said before thinking "_Why didn't I see this!?_"

Amethyst collapsed to her knees when she heard that revelation. "_He…he almost died! Again! What-!"_ Instinctively her thought train arrived at the accusatory station.

"_That stupid home world bit-"_ she angrily deduced as she surged to her feet and gripped her whips…until she got good look at the enemy Amethyst. She didn't have a weapon. And if she was the one who inflicted those wounds, given what they've seen so far, she would've been bragging her head off. But she was just as stunned as she was.

Not to mention…Levon had **three wounds**. Not one. So it couldn't have been her unless she switched from using a single sickle weapon.

Then it dawned on her on what happened. The yelling…the frustration…**the arm movement**.

She gulped as she slowly glanced down at her weapon, hoping against all odds that the intruder was really the one that caused that injury so she could justify tearing her a new one.

But no…the nightmare was her reality.

The ends of her whips were coated with his brown-colored blood as well as having tufts of stained fur still attached to flesh and small shreds of his signature t-shirt. She threw the handle of the deadly weapon down in disgust and it disappeared without a trace. She looked at her trembling hands, but her vision was becoming obscured by the film of water covering her eyes.

"_N-No…What have I done?"_ she thought as she closed her eyes and pulled at the ends of her hair.

* * *

"Amethyst"

She was taken out of her self-deprecating thoughts when someone gently called out her name. She opened her eyes and tentatively turned around, preparing herself to face the disapproving, hateful frowns that would've undoubtedly adorned her family's faces. But instead she was met with sad, apologetic looks from the rest of her comrades as well as Connie.

Garnet motioned for her to come over, but she vehemently shook her head no.

"…Levon wants to talk to you. Are you going to deny him his wish?" she asked.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes, pushing the pooled water out of her sockets. She took a shuddering breath and slowly trudged over to the fallen warrior. Garnet moved out of the way so she could stand next to him. But what really knocked her for a loop was the small, proud grin he sported.

"**You did it**"

"I know! I know! I'm so sorry Levon! GAH! What's wrong with me!?" she berated herself.

"Nothing's wrong with you" Levon gently roared, getting her attention.

"OH C'MON! How can you say that when you were bleeding to death!?" she cried.

"Because you didn't do this. I mean…yea you did in a sense – physically anyway. But I know it wasn't you. It was that negativity monster inside of you. It's kinda like how Connie and I fought against Pearl and Jasper when Dark Stevonnie was formed. But it wasn't us…_more or less_" he quietly added.

"Those are two completely different things" Amethyst sniffed as she wiped her nose on her arm.

"Not really. We attacked them because they made us angry, just like you were angry at me and-"

"I wasn't angry at you!" she yelled cutting him off. "I was angry at myself because of how weak I was! I hate showing my feelings! But…I couldn't help it. I mean, I thought I'd gotten over it when we apologized to each other while you were gone and during that training session with Jasper. Then those voices came made it worse. I…I just wanted them to stop. And I end up almost killing you!" she cried.

"But you didn't. This was an accident. I'm still here. A little sore and dirty but nothing a bath and a long nap won't fix. And whoever said showing your feelings makes you weak is full of snot! What's the point of having feelings if you don't show them?" he asked.

"How in the world can you take this so lightly?! Are you a **saint** or something!?" she exasperated.

"…What's a saint?" he asked.

"Basically it means a really good person" Connie explained.

"Oh! In that case we're all saints!" he happily exclaimed.

"What?! But you're the one who says all the right things and-"

"And **who** do you think taught me all of those things?" he asked and that silenced her. "Amethyst, I'm just following your guys' example. I have wisdom because I sought it out and all I'm doing is putting my own spin on it by connecting it with different things. I mean this isn't any different than when your gem was cracked and you were still coming up with ideas to help make my healing powers work" he explained.

"…You shouldn't be following me. I'm a weak, defective runt who can't do anything right" she quietly replied.

"Then you're in good company" Pearl smiled as a few tears trickled out of her eyes.

"She's right Amethyst. All of us are not the ideal standard of what is considered normal. Whether by Home World standards or Earth's. Luckily for us, Earth's standards are way more lax than Home World's. Sure humans have their ideals of how people – specifically genders – should act, but ultimately it depends on the person. That's the greatest freedom anyone can ask for" Garnet added.

"Yea! It's just like dad says, "If every pork chop were perfect"

"…We wouldn't have hot dogs" Amethyst finished with a smile.

"And all we're doing is taking the condiments –things that we like –and adding them to our own hot dog to make it a one of a kind delicacy" Levon added.

Amethyst smiled for a bit…but it disappeared when she looked at the ground.

"Amethyst" he called out and she gave him her attention.

"Remember when Garnet told me it was okay to feel weak? Well…I don't think any of us have any weak sides. We keep on fighting because we love each other and that gives us all the strength we need. So when we're weak we're strong and when we're strong we're strong. Its only when we give up that we're truly weak. And you didn't! You got rid of those stinkin' thinkin' vibes all on your own!" he praised.

"…You're the one who talked to it" she sadly corrected.

"Yea, but it was your call to let it out. Doesn't your mind feel a lot clearer now?" he asked.

"…A little bit" she blushed as she looked away from his sight.

"**Now** I know why you wanted to beat her and now you can. Like Jasper said, if you don't have a clear mind, you've already lost the battle."

Amethyst stared at the wise lion hybrid in front of her. "Levon…"

"You got this Amethyst! She ain't you and you ain't her. You're a one of a kind hot dog with mustard, engine oil, artichoke hearts, bologna, ranch chaaaps, whipped cream and a cherry on top!" he listed. That garnered a comforting laugh out of her whereas Pearl was completely disgusted at the thought of that creation.

"…Thanks Levon" she said as her laughter settled down. "And…I'm really sorry about...everything."

"If you want to make it up to me, **then beat her**. She's basically the manifestation of all your stinkin' thinkin' thoughts right? So win this duel and get rid of those thoughts for good, and maybe even knock some good sense into her too. After all, the bigger they are the harder they fall right?" he quoted while slowly lifting his forearm up like he was about to arm wrestle somebody.

"Heh…right" she chuckled as she grasped his massive hand with her own hands. "Thanks **coach**" she dubbed.

"You got it dude" he replied with a thumbs up. "And hey! I think I just came up with an idea!"

Amethyst leaned in close so he could whisper something into her ear. She smiled and nodded her head before turning around and shouting, "HEY! You ready for round two?!"

"H-Huh? Wh-What?!" replied the startled intruder. She snapped out of it once she saw her mini counterpart enter the stained arena. She shook her head and said, "Jeez…you gems are of your little pebble minds! You said I might learn something new huh? Well, everything I thought was right! You're all weak, weird and freakin' nasty! I don't know what the heck just happened and I don't care. You wounded your leader so this makes my job a whole lot easier" as she cracked her knuckles.

"Seyz you. There's no way I'm letting you lay a single finger on my family!" she declared as she summoned another pair of whips. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking at the ends. _"…No blood"_ she sighed in relief before returning her attention to the battle at hand.

"You're dumber than a ruby, y'know that right? Don't you get it? It doesn't matter how many weapons you summon or what moves you use, I'll always push you back. Cause I'm **bigger and better**!" she said as she drew her kusarigama out of her gem.

"Guys…help me up, please. I don't want to miss this" Levon said and the rest of the team helped him sit up while Rudy wrapped himself around his bicep.

"Levon, are you sure you'll be okay?" Pearl asked and he nodded his head.

Then he craned his flexible neck to lick his wounds with his surprisingly long tongue. Slowly but surely the lacerations started to close up, but needless to say it was a bit awkward to watch…especially when he had to bend over to lick his belly. Connie blushed and turned her head away because it looked like he was going towards his legs.

"Ugh…disgusting" home-world Amethyst muttered when she caught a glimpse of him. "Well, at least I agree with one thing that gunk spewin' creature said, **I'm sure glad I ain't you!**" she sneered.

"…Me too. I'm the only one that can handle all this **_awesomeness_**!" Amethyst confidently replied before spin dashing right towards her.

"_Hmph…pathetic"_ home-world Amethyst thought before revving up for her own spin dash. The two combatants sped towards each, with the inevitable collision soon approaching. They'd sooner be smashed if any one of them played chicken.

However…the destined crash never occurred.

Instead the enemy Amethyst smashed through one of the ruined hands that was protruding out of the sand. She immediately uncurled herself and looked around the area, only seeing the audience in attendance.

"Where are you!? Come out and fight!" she called out as she walked around the battlefield. "Don't tell me you're a coward too!"

Levon had to cover his mouth so she wouldn't see the grin plastered on his face. "_It's working!"_ he thought.

"Levon, what in the world did you tell Amethyst to do?" Pearl asked as they saw the intruding gem grunt in frustration as she paced along the sand.

"Pop up crab!" he replied.

"Pop up crab?" they questioned.

"Yea! Don't you guys remember? When I would come over to play with you guys on the beach?"

That's when an old memory resurfaced in Pearl's and Garnet's minds.

* * *

When Steven was a child, no more than five, Greg would swing by the temple once a week and drop him off for what he dubbed "Happy Beach Fun Day!" However, that particular day an urgent mission came up. But no one wanted to make him cry by cancelling his favorite play day.

"You guys go on ahead, I'll watch him" Amethyst volunteered.

"YAYYY!" cheered the little boy as he squeezed her in a grateful hug, before she picked him up over her head and spun him around.

"Now wait a minute! You-"

"Will need snacks. And sunblock" Garnet finished, cutting Pearl off.

"Okay!" he replied as both of them looked in Greg's van and pulled out the ice chest, his little back pack with clothes and towels, and an orange bottle of water resistant SPF 30.

"Garnet! You can't be serious!" Pearl hissed.

"I kinda agree with Pearl on this one. Are you sure she can handle baby-sitting him by herself?" Greg asked.

"They'll be fine. And if you're that worried about them, then let's hurry up and retrieve the relic before it activates. Besides…I don't want to miss "Happy Beach Fun Day" either" Garnet replied.

"We gots everythin'!" Steven cheered as they rejoined the group.

"Alright, bud. Be a good boy for Amethyst, promise?" Greg said.

"I promise! Bye Daddy, Bye Pearl, Bye Garnet!" All of them gave the boy their parting hugs and kisses before leaving the duo alone to their own devices.

"So Ste-man, whatchu wanna do?" Amethyst asked him.

All he gave for a response was a big, giggly grin. She couldn't help but match it; the giddy aura he was giving off was so infectious. Soon he rambled off a list of cool things to do and Amethyst eagerly listened, even adding her own twist on some things.

"Ready little man?"

"YEA!" he cheered as their full day of fun got underway.

* * *

_Two hours later…_

"What if Amethyst didn't take him to a restroom so he could use the bathroom? What if she ate all the snacks, even the ice cubes?! What if a dangerous ocean animal attacked him? What if he's sunburned?! What if"

After the fifth "what if", Garnet sighed and tuned out the hysterical Pearl as both of them floated in the warp stream.

Retrieving the Asguard Shield was simple enough, the only thing that delayed their mission was a swarm of Nack Nattle Gnats. They may be the size of a silver dollar, but they were sure annoying. And they bite too. It wasn't until they destroyed the king and bubbled the cinnamon-colored octagon gem that all the little soldiers poofed away as well.

"_Stupid bugs_" Garnet thought as she looked as her holey attire before repairing it. The last thing she needed was to have Steven worried about her "boo-boos".

"Pearl, your outfit" she pointed out.

"Huh? ...Oh" she blushed as she looked down at the nearly half eaten tunic. She instantly flashed another one on, and just in time because they were deposited in front of the entrance to their base. Before Pearl could call out Steven's name, her illusionary heart settled down bit when she saw him on the beach.

"Steven! We're back!" she announced but the boy didn't move.

"…Steven?" she called again. Still no response.

Her heartrate quickly elevated as she dashed off the warp pad and towards the immobile child. "STEVEN!"

"WHA!" he yelped.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?!" she yelled as she scooped him up, but she couldn't properly check him for injuries because he was squirming around too much.

"Pearl! Lemme go! Pop up crab!" he demanded.

"Pop up what?" she asked. That's when she looked down and noticed three CD sized holes in the sand. Then she saw the edge of the entrance to the left tunnel starting to slide down…like something was climbing up.

"There! Pop up crab! Lemme go! Me get her!" Steven yelled but Pearl wasn't having it.

"Oh no you don't! Crabs are dangerous and they pinch good little boys like you" she countered before using her feet to push sand over the holes.

"Awwwww! I'm gonna lose!" he cried.

"You're not going to lose anything, you're safe now. And speaking of safe…where's Amethyst?" she irritably asked.

"Pop up crab!" Steven answered.

"…A crab got Amethyst? …Oh no!" she exclaimed as she pulled out her spear.

"GAR-oh" She was about to shout Garnet's name until she saw her leader right behind her. "A crab monster grabbed Amethyst and it's underground right now!" she frantically explained.

"…"

Garnet didn't say one word but merely held her arms out so Pearl could give Steven to her.

"Garnet no! No monster! Amethyst-" but Garnet gently placed a finger on his lips, effectively shushing him.

"Watch" she said as a small smile appeared on her lips.

"Huh?" but his question would have to wait as she walked away to give Pearl some space to deal with the "threat".

"I got you now…" Pearl spoke to herself as she held her spear right above the area where the holes were. "C'mon out you little-"

Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, a small column of sand shot up into the air, startling her and causing her cross her arms in front of her face.

"GRAAH!"

"AHHH!"

The simultaneously yells echoed across the area. Pearl quickly shook her leg to rid herself of the odious creature that clamped down on it.

"Get OFF!" she screamed, but it wouldn't let go. She couldn't stab at it without risking her limb.

"Garnet help!" she cried as she spun around.

"…**sigh** Stop shaking" she replied.

"Are you crazy!? This-"

"Is Amethyst" she finished.

"…HUH?!"

She finally looked down and saw the purple little crab gripping her leg with her blunt pincer, trying her hardest not to burst out laughing. But it didn't take long before her air-swelled cheeks released the hysterical giggling.

"HAAAAHAHAHA!" she laughed as she rolled around in the sand clutching her little crab belly. "OH MAN I GOT YOU GOOD!" Tears wear streaming down her face as the chuckling continued; good thing gems don't need to breathe.

Pearl stared at the little troublemaker with clenched fists at her sides; her face was as blue as the ocean. She took a sharp inhale through her pointy nose and exhaled. She turned around and as calmly as she could asked, "Steven…what is all this?"

"Pip pop, you got caught" he replied as he shrugged his shoulders.

Garnet had to cover her mouth to hide the small smile. "_So cute_" she thought but Pearl huffed, crossed her arms and pointed her nose to the sky.

"Tell me Steven. How did you come up with the Pop Up Crab game?" Garnet asked.

With starry eyes he animatedly retold his fun time escapades; from riding on whale Amethyst's back all the way to how a little blue crab kept popping up out of his sandcastle towers, but he couldn't catch it, thus giving him the idea for the game.

"And I was gonna win too" he pouted as the stars disappeared from his pupils and he crossed his arms.

"Don't worry. I can help you. I have a _secret technique_ on knowing where she'll pop out" she offered.

He gasped and asked, "Secret technique!? What is it?!"

"I'll tell you when you're older" she smiled.

"Awwww" he whined.

She chuckled and said, "C'mon, let's get back to our Happy Beach Fun Day. Amethyst, you ready…?"

Before she could ask if she'd be willing to do a couple more rounds of pop up crab, they saw Pearl scampering from hole to hole trying to catch the mischievous gem.

"Over here Pearl!" Amethyst taunted before disappearing underground.

"Grrr…why you little!" she fumed as she reach down the hole.

"**Advanced level!"** Steven marveled with starry eyes whereas Garnet sighed for the umpteenth time.

"…_Hopefully she'll remember that she can control sand"_ she thought as they watched their competitive match.

* * *

"Oh…right. Pop Up Crab" Pearl remembered. "But how will that help in defeating her?"

Before he had a chance to answer, the home-world Amethyst let out a frustrated roar. "FINE! You forfeit the fight and their lives!" she declared as she summoned her weapon and faced the audience.

Garnet, Pearl and Connie immediately brought up their weapons and got in front of their hissing comrade. Before she could take one step towards them, a tall column of sand shot up into the air.

"WHAT?!" she shouted as she covered her eyes. Three whips emerged out of the sand, ensnaring the irate gem from shoulder to toe before being thrown onto her back – **hard**. Good thing sand has some natural cushioning.

"GRRR! WHAT THE—OOOF!" she grunted when her smaller counterpart dived bomb her gut. She held two whip handles in her right hand and one in her left, sporting the biggest smirk she could muster without laughing her head off.

"Pip pop…you got caught" she quoted as she pulled on the reins, causing the purple stone barbs to dig into her opponent's skin.

"GAAH! Let go of me!" she yelled.

"Did you really just ask me to do that? Who's the dumb one now?" she countered, causing the home world intruder to growl at her.

"HRRRRGH!" she grunted as she tried to abduct her shoulders in order to break through the whips, but Amethyst's impressive strength kept her bound.

"When I get out of this I'm gonna crack-GAH!"

A particularly hard pull silenced her threat. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that? All I heard was chitty chitty chat chat, chat chat chat! How about you say this…_buh bye_" she smiled with an eye wink. With that she pulled as hard as she could, but the stubborn gem still wouldn't poof.

However…something inside her opponent did break.

"Why you runt piece of sheet rock!" she seethed. Her rising anger from that smart aleck comment fueled her illusionary muscles to give her the strength needed to fulfill her ultimate desire. It wasn't just about winning anymore…**she wanted to smash her gem into dust**.

"GGRRRRRRAH!" With one last push, she managed to create a little crease. It may have been too small to initiate an escape, but it was all she needed. She reached for a dime-sized device attached to her hip and threw it onto the leg of the gem straddling her.

"GAAAAAAAA!" Amethyst screamed as a bright, neon-yellow spiky field surrounded her.

"AMETHYST!" the crowd yelled but soon her screaming was silenced as yellow maze-like lines covered her entire body. Arms separated from her shoulders…her white boots separated from her ankles…before ultimately her entire body poofed away into a cloud of purple smoke.

"Good riddance. Stupid pudgy little…" home-world Amethyst muttered to herself as the bindings disappeared as well, allowing her to sit up. She grabbed the purple stone that had fallen on her belly as well as her expanded, CD size and shaped secret weapon.

"Tch…I'll admit it. I didn't think she'd be so annoying. Should've just used the **destabilizer** in the first place" she chastised herself as she shrunk the gem weapon back down to its compact, dime size and attached it back to her hip.

The group of onlookers were stunned. Amethyst had her on the ropes. Literally! And then she just…

"THAT'S CHEATING!" Levon roared once that realization passed through his mind. His anger propelled him to his feet - his pain long forgotten.

"YEA! This was supposed to be a duel using only your natural abilities!" Connie added.

"Heh. Sorry, didn't get that memo" she smirked as she tossed Amethyst's gem up and down. "Besides…anything goes in a fight, freak. And like you're one to talk! You got a filthy war machine standing right next to you!" she countered as she pointed to Garnet. That elicited as small growl out of the two-gem leader.

"But whatever. You'll all end up like her anyway" she stated as she caught the inert stone.

She held it between her ring finger and thumb and looked at it. "What was it that you wanted me to say?" she sneered as she took out another kusarigama out of her gem, but this one was a lot shorter than the rest of'em. If anything the blade end looked like it was attached to the ball directly, but there was still a little silver of threading between them. Everyone's eyes widened when they saw her hold it up high like a hammer.

"Oh…right" she smirked as she glared at it. "**Buh Bye**" as she brought the hammer down.

"NO!" everyone yelled.

Pearl and Connie raised their spear and sword respectively like a javelin and Garnet brought her gauntleted-fists up, ready to launch them at her.

But…none of them even had a chance to do so. Not even the home-world Amethyst had a chance to use her weapon.

Once again everyone was stunned at the sight they were witnessing. Levon was already on the beach hoisting the terrified intruder high in the air.

"H-How…When…" Pearl stuttered as all of them lowered their weapons. The **last** thing they wanted to do was hurt him further.

Home-world Amethyst couldn't even speak any words let alone form any in her head. She stared at the blood-red pupil-less eyes of the enraged, snarling fusion. He squeezed the wrist that was holding the hammer ball until she released it. An agonizing scream sent unpleasant shivers down the spines of everyone in attendance.

Then he grabbed her by her other wrist and held her like he was going to pull her apart. He squeezed it until she released Amethyst's gem. Rudy extended his vine body and caught it before it hit the sand and was washed away by the tide. He coiled himself around his bicep while keeping her gem safely between his body and Levon's.

"W-Wait! D-Don't!" she finally stuttered but it fell on his deaf, slicked-back ears.

Well…scratch that.

The only response she got was a deep-throated, almost sinister growl that sounded like a completely different creature.

Connie gulped when she heard him and gripped the hilt of her sword even tighter. _"…Be ready"_ she chanted to herself.

Panic seeped into the intruder's body as her pupils shrunk in horror. "L-Let me go you f-freak!" she screamed as she fruitlessly tried to land a kick on his hairless scars. But Levon held her away from his body and pulled on her arms nice and tight so she would stop moving.

"**GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" **

Everyone cringed when they saw the macabre sight. It looked as though her humerus was taken out of the shoulder socket…if she had any bones.

"M-Mercy" she cried but all that did was cause him to furrow his eyebrows deeper.

"_**Re…ac…tion**_!" he hissed before opening his massive jaws and sinking his razor-sharp fangs straight into her jugular, destroying her instantly.

* * *

No one uttered a single word. No adulations…no congratulations…not even any relieved laughter.

_Nothing_.

Everyone was paralyzed in their places as they stared at the muscular backside of the still livid fusion. Her gemstone fell at his feet – the foamy water gently going over it. He picked it up between his ring finger and thumb and examined the facets.

The rest of the group silently approached him.

"…Hm? Grrrrr…." he growled as he stopped his examination.

Garnet, Connie and Pearl got to him just as he brought the inert rock to his open mouth.

"LEVON! NO!" Pearl shouted. She tried to grab his tail or any part of his body to stop him from doing the unthinkable…having his pure hands soiled with the "**blood**" of another being. But she was impeded by his impenetrable bubble shield.

"LEVON!" she shouted as she furiously pounded on the shield. "DON'T DO IT! DON'T-" but as quickly as the shield was up, it immediately disappeared. Pearl almost landed on her face but she kept her balance.

"…No" she quietly said as she held her hand to her mouth_. "He's a child! A perfect lovable child! He shouldn't be this!"_ she thought as she closed her eyes. She clutched her abdomen…she felt sick to her stomach knowing that he had now become…a **killer**. Despite the circumstances, she would rather have her own gem shattered before that label was placed upon him.

Suddenly a warm hand grabbed her shoulder. "Pearl…look" Garnet softly commanded.

Although she didn't want to, she knew that she had to. He would probably be confused about what he had done…if he was aware of it at all. She knew how he valued life and knowing that he ended one would send him spiraling into unknown depths of despair. _"I need to be strong…for him"_ she realized and she slowly opened her eyes.

But the sight before her wasn't the one she was expecting.

Levon was facing them with his pupil-filled eyes and a rose-colored bubble levitating slightly above his right hand.

"Y-You…you didn't break her gem" she said relieved.

"YOU'RE OKAY!" Connie cheered as she hugged his leg, soaking his fur with her tears. "I-I thought you were…you were…" she sputtered.

Levon showed a small grin and patted her on the head. "I know. Anger is a neutral emotion. I used it to give me a clear objective. Protecting you…**all of you**. Even her" he clarified as he looked at the bubble.

"B-But it looked like you were going to eat her" Pearl said.

"I saw that there were small cracks in her gem, so I used my healing spit to fix'em" he explained.

"Leap to conclusions and you leap to confusion" Garnet said, causing her and Connie to blush out of embarrassment. But it quickly fled with the happy realization that Levon was still the same compassionate boy through and through.

"Levon…thank you for protecting us and our home" Garnet smiled.

"That's just what a family do, right?" he smiled back, but Garnet surprised him by replying, "**No**."

"Huh?"

"Not all families do that…but I'm so thankful that we do" she clarified before enveloping everyone in a hug with her stretchy arms.

"Speaking of…wh-where's Amethyst?" Pearl asked as they were released from the hug.

"Rudy has her" he answered. Taking that as his cue, Rudy uncoiled himself and placed the stone in Levon's free hand.

"…Will she be okay?" he asked.

"Physically speaking she'll be fine. But…I don't know about mentally. She'll need some time" Garnet answered and Levon solemnly nodded his head before sending the bubbled Amethyst to the temple.

"I'm just glad that this is over…for now" Pearl commented.

"Indeed" Garnet agreed as she took the purple gem out of Levon's hand. But everyone's relieved state of mind was broken when they heard him groan.

"Levon! Are you okay?" Connie asked.

"Yea…just tired" he replied as he rubbed his scars.

"I can only imagine. C'mon, you're _way_ overdo for your siesta…**little** warrior" Garnet smiled.

"I'm**yawwwwn** not little" he yawned.

"You'll always be my little warrior" she fondly replied and he gave in and nodded in agreement.

Just as all of them stepped onto the grassy hill, they saw Lapis running down the stairs with Peridot right behind her.

Well…almost. "OOF! GUH! OW!"

"Ooooo" everyone cringed as she stumbled down the stairs and landed on her face.

"Ughhhhh…stupid wooden stairs" she muttered to herself as she got up and brushed the grass blades off of her.

"Are you okay Peridot?" Levon asked.

"Yea…I'm fine" she irritably replied as she joined the group.

"But what about you?! Are you okay?!" Lapis asked as she ran her hands over his hairless scars.

"Yea, I'm okay. Just tired. But we won!" he happily replied.

"I know! We saw everything! I'm just glad you're not seriously hurt" Lapis replied.

"Indeed! Do you have **any** idea how hard it was to calm Lazuli down when we saw Amethyst slash you with her whips? She would've sunk the whole city!" Peridot sorta exaggerated.

Everyone stared at the blue gem. She looked at the ground and whispered, "I…I was just so mad and-" But she was cut off when Levon picked her up and gave her a reassuring hug.

She buried her face into his chest and hiccupped, "I-I thought I lost you again."

"Don't worry Lapis. I'm not going anywhere. _I promise_" he replied as he set her down. She nodded her head and wiped away the mist from her eyes.

"But what a battle! I'm glad I'm on your side. You're quite…**ferocious** when something provokes you, which will be duly noted" Peridot sorta complemented as she jotted down some notes on her holo-screen.

"Oh…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you guys" he said as his ears drooped.

"Peridot!" Lapis hissed as she hit her on her shoulder.

"What? What I'd say?" she questioned.

"What Peridot meant was that we're grateful to have someone who'll go to such lengths to protect us" Lapis clarified before thinking, "_Although I wish you wouldn't have to._"

"You didn't scare us Levon. **We were scared for you**. But in the end it was unnecessary…like it usually is" Pearl added.

"Well there's nothing to worry about now. We can take on anything that comes our way!" he declared.

"Errr…"

Everyone stared at the green gem when she let out that nervous groan.

"…What?" Garnet asked.

Peridot and Lapis looked at each other and the former spoke, "Well…there is **one **more thing that should occupy our thought processes" as she twiddled her fingers.

"What is it? And where's Jasper?" she asked.

"Jasper…isn't here. She's at the kindergarten." Lapis answered.

"What? Why?" they all asked.

That's when Peridot told them everything about the possible threat of Commander Jet aka Pitch Black. "She said she had a plan in the event her speculation proved accurate. But it might be just crazy paranoia" she tried to laugh it off but Levon shut her down when he said, "No…it's not. I picked up a strange scent. It kinda smelled like **rotten eggs**."

"Rotten eggs? You mean those little white oval things that contain that yellow substance you consume? Phew! And here I was worrying over nothing" Peridot grinned.

"No Peridot, you don't understand. On Earth when metal smiths smelt metal, it can release gaseous sulfuric acid into the air and to us…it smells similar to rotten eggs" Connie clarified.

Peridot's pupils shrunk with that startling information and tiny electrical pulses traversed throughout her body. "…Oh no" she quietly mumbled before running her fingers through her hair. "Great…just great! We're dead! I'm dead, you're dead, everybody's dead!" she frantically spouted.

"Peridot calm down" Lapis tried to say but the scared gem shouted back, "CALM DOWN?! This is Pitch Black! The one who has killed more gems and species than I can begin to even imagine! The one who fought WHITE DIAMOND!"

"And lost"

"Wh-what?"

"She lost to a **diamond**" Levon repeated. "She may be strong, but she's not invincible."

Sensing where he was going with this Lapis pleaded, "Levon no! You can't fight her all alone!"

"I'm not alone" he smiled.

"You know what I meant! Levon…please. You're wounded…you're tired. I-I'm trying really hard not to worry but this…this is just too much!" she shouted as little tears slid down her face.

"She's right Levon! Not to mention you're still recovering from the…_other ordeal_" Pearl added as she carefully chose her words.

"Pearl. Lapis. Garnet. Peridot. Connie. I'll be fine, I just made a **promise** to you guys remember? I'll take care of her just like I did with big Amethyst. Besides…at least I have more than nine lives."

Before they could object, because he knew they would, he tore open a portal above his head and quickly jumped through it.

"LEVON!" they all shouted but the only ones that heard it were themselves.

"We have to go after them!" Lapis shouted.

"**No**" Garnet spoke, stopping them in their tracks.

"Garnet…I understand what you've been saying about worrying and whatever else but this is _**really**_ pushing my limits!" Pearl countered.

"You really expect us to sit here while he and Jasper face off against that assassin?!" Lapis added.

"**I do"** she forcefully said and everyone quieted down. "We'd be a liability based on how you described her. They're the only ones who can defeat her."

"Y-You said defeat. That means he's going to win! ...Right?" Peridot asked.

"…I do see that possibility, but I also see others where neither he nor Jasper survive. It all depends on him" she replied, shredding whatever hope was left among them.

"That's not very assuring!" Peridot exasperated.

Garnet shrugged her shoulders and replied, "One of the perks of having "future vision." I can control **my destiny…**but not anyone else's. All I can do is show them the paths I see if they want it, then it's their call from there. But…one thing is crystal clear that can't be avoided."

She looked at the anxious group, waiting with baited breath for her response.

"What is it?" Connie finally asked for them.

She sighed before looking up at the sky. "…**I should've followed my own advice from the beginning."**

* * *

**Round 1 is in the books...but not without some casualties. How will Amethyst recover from her defeat? Will Jasper and Levon be able to defeat Pitch Black? What did Garnet see? Tune in for the next part of "One on One".  
**

**So I figured since Amethyst likes to joke around but still makes others uncomfortable sometimes, but at least she corrects it once she knows she goes too far, home world Amethyst would be no holds barred and mean everything she says, regardless of how others feel. But now that she's been fixed and caught of glimpse of how things are different...how will her demeanor change now?**

**Looks like Mo and Curly got their revenge in a way. Could it be that all that hurt and anger from the shed blood of their race transferred into Pitch Black's psyche?**

**I know things kinda got a little graphic there, I hope you're okay with that. I know I wouldn't want to mess with Levon.  
**

**Now for some news. First...my parent's divorce is more or less finalized and now my mom is moving out the beginning of August, so i'll be helping her get situated and with rent. This is uncharted territory for me so can I ask for your prayers during this transition time?**

**Second, I passed my CPR training. Once I get that license in the mail, I can take my final exam for personal training. **

**Thank you guys so much for all your support. I can't believe this story has been going strong for a year and a half now and what a wild ride it's been. It'll keep on going strong no matter what. Thank you all!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**

**Shadeslayer: my profile pic is a little fishman character I created named Addai Razorfin and his gang/family the Canola Outlawz. **


	39. Chapter 39

"SCRAAAAAAAAAH"

…

A gut wrenching scream of pure agony reverberated along the womb walls of former gems, followed by an unsettling silence. But for one gem…it was a beautifully conducted orchestra to her head holes.

"Well…that was rather_ dull_" the shrouded black gem spoke as she picked up the hodgepodge gem. "**This** is what Yellow Diamond's been waiting for all this time? Pffft! Then again, it's nearly impossible to replicate a perfect gem such as myself" she smiled as she enclosed the conjoined shards in a color-coordinating bubble and sent them off to a location known only to her. The ash-colored dirt coated her feet as she continued her expedition through the kindergarten, basking in the some-what familiar surroundings.

"At least this signals that the cluster should be emerging soon. Still…**they** couldn't handle a simple…? Hello? What happened here?" Pitch asked herself when she came across the shattered remains of an injector.

"Hmmm…" She crouched down and examined the ground beneath her – running her thin fingers over the scars that had been left on the bedrock.

"A battle…_a duel_" she surmised as she shook the dirt off her hands. "Hmmm…these footsteps belong to much smaller gems. The whip marks undeniably come from a quartz as well as the dash grooves. But the other ones baffle me…very fleet-footed though."

She continued to walk around the immediate area until she noticed some dried up markings on the ground.

"What's this?" she asked herself as she crouched down to get a better look. Although its color had long since faded, she immediately recognized the substance as the genetic material inside of an injector…no doubt from the demolished machine she just passed. But the more she examined it, the more "_concerned_" she became.

"What kind of creature could've made these foot prints? Well…whatever it was, it hasn't been back here for some time. Heh…maybe those fusion experiments gave it its untimely demise" she sadistically chuckled as she stood up and continued her trek.

It wasn't long until she arrived at the newly added "blast zone" of the kindergarten.

"What in home world?!" she gasped when she saw the demolished area. "Must've been an ambush. These shot marks are all over the place…and they're recent" she observed as she looked at some the ruined orifices along the walls.

She walked into one of the holes to see if there were any remains.

Empty.

The only thing that lingered was a faint yet distinct scent.

"A Peridot" she deduced after taking a good whiff. "I guess those mongrels on the beach were more skilled than I gave them credit for. But still… something's not adding up. There's no way they could beat a water elemental and a…!"

Her internal contemplation over the possible scenario came to a screeching halt when she heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the distance. She swiftly scaled up the sheer cliff and hid in one of the larger orifices. She reached underneath her cloak and pulled out a pair of shiny, coal-black short swords. Each one had an intricate silver pattern on the hilt that almost resembled two snakes coiling around each other.

She carefully peered out the hole – her body completely camouflaged by the encompassing darkness. She was in her element and she was loving every second of it. _The hunt was on._

Soon a massive figure came around one of the destroyed boulders. A glint appeared in her icy blue eyes and a wicked grin crossed her features.

"_Got you"_ she thought before launching herself out of the orifice at high speeds. She held her mini swords crossed in front of her chest like an X, ready to deal her signature death blow.

**PINGGSSSHH**

* * *

Well…the blow occurred, but not the death part.

The random trespasser somehow managed to block her vicious assault with her own orange colored helmet. And just in the nick of time too. Had she been one millisecond later, she would've been another mark on Pitch's current and lengthy winning streak.

However, the striped gem wasn't out of danger yet. The force of the blow knocked her hard onto the ground, coating her with the sickly colored soil.

"Uhhhhhh…" she moaned as her helmet disappeared. She tried to sit up, but was immediately pinned down underneath Pitch's body. "GUUGH!"

She quickly opened her eyes…but in retrospect she wished she hadn't. She couldn't even form coherent words as she basically stared at **death** itself. And it was no consolation that she was one of the "lucky" few who actually saw her concealed form; nothing goes with you to the grave. She couldn't get her off of her, which under normal circumstances would've been easy to do given that her assailant was lighter and a little bit smaller than her. But there was something about her icy eyes that kept her paralyzed.

However, that basic self-preservation instinct helped her overcome her fear when she saw her lift one of her swords into the air – ready to slice her head off.

"W-Wait! I'm not your enemy! I-I was sent to Earth to check the status of the cluster!" she managed to stutter out as the mini guillotine came down. She flinched and closed her eyes, preparing herself for the inevitable demise.

But it never came.

Once again she cracked one eye open at a time. Little sweat beads appeared on her forehead and her pupils constricted at the sight of Pitch's face only an inch above her own. She was just staring at her…analyzing the words she just spoke.

"…State your full identification" Pitch demanded as she pressed the blade against her oblong-shaped gem.

She immediately furrowed her eyebrows and adverted her eyesight. "… Jasper. Facet R3JT. Cut F4L" she growled out.

Jasper despised her facet and cut identification with an unbridled fury. Only a select few were given the dubious honor of having that particular label and the significance of it wasn't lost on the executioner as she started to laugh.

"Oh…you're **that** Jasper" she smirked; even though Jasper couldn't see it she could sense it by the mocking look in her eyes. Thankfully she got off of her and dismissed her twin swords. If Jasper had a heart, it would've needed to be resuscitated about ten times after that potentially fatal encounter.

"Well…well…well. And here I was just thinking about the group you were assigned to lead for such a simple mission" she commented as she crossed her arms.

Jasper slowly stood up and remained silent as she brushed the dirt off of her body. She had already been spared once, she wasn't about to mess it up by letting her temper get out of hand.

"Then again…I shouldn't be too surprised to find you out here. Even if it wasn't the site of a bunch of cluster experiments, **a gem instinctively returns to the place where she was made. **Well…almost. I doubt yours is still standing considering what kind of material was used to make it" she stated.

Jasper stared at her wide-eyed and stuttered, "H-How did you-?"

"Please. I'm a commander. And even if I wasn't, that kind of knowledge is easy to obtain if you're interested in that sort of thing. Most gems aren't. Not to mention, thanks to my status I have access to certain data that would otherwise be inaccessible to regular gems. **Especially** ones like you" she pointed out.

"HEY! I'm a commander as well!" she countered before being shut down by Pitch's correction, "**Former commander.** Now you're nothing more than a glorified body guard. It was only because of your **personal** history with this planet that you were chosen to be an escort for the rest of your group."

"Tch" Jasper angrily muttered as she glared at the ground.

Pitch smiled at her agitated silence; nothing better than putting someone under your foot so to speak.

"Besides" she shrugged her shoulders as she approached her. She leaned in close to her head hole and whispered, "To be an expert assassin…you have to know _everything_ about your target."

Jasper gulped and quickly backed away. "_Wh-What's wrong with me?! I'm Jasper darn it! I'm the tiger teacher to a diamond king!_" she thought as she shook her head to try and rid herself of these fearful vibes coursing through her body.

Pitch chuckled at her distraught state of mind but quickly got back into her stone-cold, no messing around attitude. "Alright look. While I absolutely adore the terrified look you're displaying right now, I am on a schedule so I'll actually need you to open your mouth and speak when spoken too…like a good little **reject**. Got it?" she harshly spoke.

"…Got it" Jasper bitingly replied.

Pitch nodded at her cooperation and asked, "So am I safe in assuming that you were still gathering intel on the cluster despite running into…complications?"

Jasper merely nodded her head.

"…Really?" she spoke in a disbelieving tone.

"…More or less" she answered.

"Hm…talk about dedication. If I was stranded on an unknown planet, my own survival would be my main focus. Then again it's not like you had much of a choice, given Yellow's waning patience with you. I can handle a scolding from her…**you can't**" she extenuated as she pointed a finger at her stripes.

"Still, I'm somewhat impressed. Especially since you were able to block my attack. So that begs the question…what happened to you and the group you were supposed to protect? Even if you are a sub-standard gem, I find it very hard to believe that the gems that disabled our ship's camouflage devices could've posed much of a threat to someone of above average skill such as yours and a water elemental" she questioned.

"We…we were ambushed" she replied.

"That much is obvious" Pitch flatly responded as she gestured her arm around the area.

"Not here. On our ship. I don't know what happened here, but with me…I underestimated **one** of them" she clarified.

"One of them? Which one? And please don't tell me you lost to the Pearl" she said as she placed one hand on her hip.

"No, it wasn't the Pearl. It was the **hybrid**" Jasper answered.

"Hybrid? You mean a cluster defeated you?" Pitch as she raised one eyebrow.

"No. I don't know what it is, but it wasn't one of the experiments. I easily defeated those gems, but this creature…its power and ferocity was almost **diamond-like**" she explained.

"What? That's impossible!" Pitch countered.

"I know what I faced!" she shot back, but reined in her emotions when she remembered who she was talking to.

"We…we were outmatched. I had no choice but to run away" she finished.

"Hmmmm…_I see_" she hummed as she played the edge of her shawl around her face. "I suppose that explains the distress signals we've received."

"What signals? That thing released its comrades and ran amok, causing our ship to crash back down to Earth."

"It was from the Peridot. I believe it was Facet 2F5L Cut 5XG. She still has home world technology remember? Well…**not anymore**. Based on the damage and what I observed, some of those other gems tracked her here, but got frustrated and lashed out at each other since they couldn't find her. A few deci-days later this "hybrid" tracked her down and she fired aimlessly at it trying to defend herself. Obviously she didn't make it" she deduced as she walked around while placing her hand underneath her chin.

"…"

Jasper wanted to roll her eyes so badly at that ludicrous rationale but remained quiet.

However Pitch's heightened senses picked up on the subtle emotional change. It wasn't fear…it was almost…

"_Is she belittling my hypothesis?!" _she angrily thought before asking, "…What?"

"What?" Jasper asked back.

"You looked like you had something you were _**dying**_ to say" she stated while crossing her arms.

"…I was just thinking that we should be _wary_. I have no doubt that the hybrid and its little band of misfit gems will find us thanks to your not-so-subtle entrance" Jasper spoke.

"I doubt it" she confidently assured with a concealed grin. "You've managed to evade them so far. How is beyond me given how you describe them. _Very peculiar_ I might add."

She gulped when she said that but Pitch brushed it off by adding, "Well…you've always been a survivor. And _**extremely**_ lucky. But that's irrelevant. Right now my "body guard" is battling them as we speak. She is quite the capable fighter…even if she is a few shards short. Seems to be a recurring theme with **Earth gems**."

"You…have an escort?" Jasper couldn't help but ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Not by choice. And you can best believe if it wasn't for Yellow Diamond's insistence on the matter, I would **not** have brought her along. Although I suppose I should find it endearing that she'd want to keep me safe" she boasted.

"_Ugh…"_ Jasper internally groaned.

"Still, even if she does fall at the hands of this so-called diamond-esque monstrosity…it'll be a pleasure adding its hide to my personal trophy collection" she viciously chuckled.

Jasper gulped at that comment. Not only was her laughter unsettling, she just realized an error in her plan. "_Rock…I hope to the stars that this plan works or I just sealed Steven's fate. I was hoping that would scare her but of course it had to rile up her hunter side! I just had to talk about him in such high regards! Even though it's true and I won't take it back even if meant reeducation but that's beside the point. And diamond-like?! Really?! I might've well have said, "The reincarnation of Pink Diamond is living on the beach!"_

All that internal chastising erupted in a loud "GRAH!" as she ran her hands through her hair. Her frustrated yell echoed across the desolate canyon.

**POW**

"OW! What the-?!"

"Get a hold of yourself reject!" Pitch commanded before thinking, "_This is why I __**hate**__ working with other gems!"_ "Nothing's going to happen so quit freaking out! Jeez! I should've just sliced your lips off instead of hitting you on the head! Unfortunately I can't."

That little semi-threat caused Jasper to straighten up real quick.

"In case you've forgotten, we have a mission to complete and I'm not going to be held back by some puny, scared Earth runt with an enhanced yet scarred mineral shell! Now…either you'll help me find the encasing chamber or I'll leave your gem behind for this feral hybrid to find. It's your call" she offered.

"…**My call**" she silently repeated.

"_Talk about déjà vu. Same vocabulary but completely different gems. I'd rather deal with a Dark Levon than her any day"_ she thought before saying, "I know where the encasing chamber is."

"Do you now?" she asked and Jasper obediently nodded her head. "Well done little reject" she sneered before patting her on her fluffy head.

"Grrrr…" she growled out. This was nothing like Steven's caresses. Her long, cold fingers scratched against her scalp, causing her to jerk away from her touch.

"_Heh…I love doing that"_ Pitch chuckled to herself before saying, "After you" with a slight bow.

Jasper nodded her head and the two of them started walking out of the "ambush site."

* * *

**SNIFFF SNIF SNIIIIFF**

"Rrrrrrrr" A low rumble passed through a shadowed creature looming on the edge of the canyon cliff. With its target's scent firmly ingrained in its nose, it tailed the two gems like the stealthy hunter that it was.

* * *

"…Curious. Very curious indeed" Pitch commented.

It didn't take long for the duo to reach the entrance to the underground chamber, mainly because Jasper wanted to enact her plan as quickly as possible before there were any repercussions to either her or her family. Not to mention she was tired of being scared stiff by her little sadistic quirks. She wasn't sure how much her construct could take!

"What so curious about a hole in the ground?" Jasper asked.

"It's not the hole stupid. It's the fact that it's **open**. You distinctly told me that this so-called hybrid freed its comrades and crashed your ship."

"Yea, and?"

"And the only way to activate the plug robanoid elevator is with the right technology, specifically the one belonging to a Peridot" she irritably finished.

"What are you trying to say?"

"How is this entrance open?" Pitch finally asked.

"I don't know" Jasper answered.

Tense silence enveloped them as Pitch just stared at her. Jasper had her arms at her side, fists tightly closed and stared back at her.

"…You don't know?" she repeated as she crossed her arms and Jasper shook her head reaffirming her earlier response.

"You said you were more or less gathering intel on the cluster correct?"

"Yes"

"What kind of intel did you gather per se?"

"Observational intel, just like you were doing I assume. I saw a few of them walking around the kindergarten. The only reason I knew about the entrance to the encasing chamber was because in one Peridot's files, this was the location where her previous inspection was interrupted by those rogue Earth gems" Jasper explained. "Kinda surprised you didn't know that, **commander"** she dissed.

"…"

Pitch didn't comment which gave Jasper at least a little bit of satisfaction, but it quickly morphed into uneasiness when she remembered that she wasn't typically the type to admit a mistake nor take an insult.

"…_What is she planning?_" she thought before adding, "Besides, maybe it stayed open all this time or Peridot activated it and examined what was inside before being ambushed."

"Hmmm…I suppose that is a possibility" Pitch agreed and in the back of Jasper's mind she thought, "_Thank the stars she fell for that!_"

"Have you been down there?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And what did you see?"

"Nothing. The place was a wreck"

"What do you mean?"

"I meant what I said. Perhaps it'd be better if you see it with your own eyes" Jasper suggested.

"…Very well" Pitch replied. "After you"

"_After me" _she thought as the two of them slid down the slippery slope, with Jasper once again taking the lead. Dusty air billowed through their cloak and long locks respectively.

"Feels just like home, doesn't it? …Very natural" Pitch commented as she looked upon the conduit veins. Jasper looked around the catacomb cavern and merely hummed in agreement, not exactly sure where she was going with that. But it didn't matter. She just wanted to make sure that her **real** home was safe.

When they reached the bottom of slope, Pitch's eyes narrowed at the scene in front of her. "What in home world happened here?" she asked.

Rubble was strewn all across the floor, the main power source was smashed to smithereens and there were massive dents all along the metal enclosure.

"Told you it was a wreck" Jasper reiterated.

"Which begs the question…how?" Pitch asked as she examined the area. "Well…it's obvious that a battle took place. And it looks like a large number of those experiments emerged out of the ground as well" she said as she gazed up at the ceiling – seeing nothing but empty holes.

"I wonder if those clusters fought against one another or if those rogue gems destroyed them. Well either way, it's no shards off my gem. Based on what I fought so far…Yellow Diamond wasted her time. The **main** one better be stronger than all these little runts. Then again…they typically are" Pitch commented as she shot Jasper a taunting side-ways glance.

Jasper ground her fangs together, crossed her arms and looked at some random debris on the ground.

"Hey reject! Stop standing there and look around for a couple of decent cluster samples to bring back. The bigger the better" she ordered.

"_Okay that's it!" _she thought before retorting "Why bother?! There's nothing here! Let's just get out of here already!"

Her outburst stunned Pitch for a brief moment, but her cool demeanor soon returned. "A little on edge aren't we? Don't tell me that you're actually scared" she said as she walked towards her.

"Heh…a Jasper, one of the mightiest and deadliest of home world warriors, is scared of a couple of defective gems. Wait…my mistake. Of course you'd be scared because you're not a **real** Jasper. You were made wrong and as such you're fundamentally wrong no matter how you try and dress it up. And your **non-uniform** stripes will forever mark you as second-tier, even if you're technically a part of the warrior class. Such a shame really…the hole you came out of was absolutely flawless too. Not to mention this planet is so abundant with nutrients. I'm starting to wonder how it went wrong" she belittled as her distasteful comments rang throughout the room.

But Jasper's indifferent shell finally broke as she pointed her finger right at her face and boomed, "I'm not scared! And of course I'm on edge! I've been stranded on this planet for diamond knows how long with that hybrid threat out there! And now someone from home world finally shows up and it turns out to be the gem executioner?! Seriously!? And I don't care what you say about my stripes, they're cool! "

"AH! So that's it…"

"Wh-What's it?" Jasper asked as she lowered her finger.

"You're not scared of the hybrid. **You're scared of me**" she stated.

"W-Well no duh! You're-"

"I **know** who I am and what emotions I can draw out" she interrupted as she pushed her arm away. She started walking around her like a shark circling its prey.

"I knew something was off when you were speaking to me. Your mannerisms…your tone…none of it came across as being frustrated, angry or scared of the situation you were in. If you were really afraid of this thing, you would've been hiding in your hole or scurrying from place to place. Not to mention, don't you think it's a bit odd that you'd stay in the same vicinity as this creature, regardless of the mission? Like I said before, if my well-being was threatened I'd focus on keeping my gem intact and plead for mercy once I returned to Yellow Diamond (not like I have to worry about that). If this monster is as dangerous as you claim, you'd be clinging to me to protect you from it regardless of my intimidating reputation. This hybrid you keep running your mouth about…it sounds to me like you were just dressing it up to be this unstoppable predator in order to **frighten** me. Now I wonder why?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"Th-That's not-"

"Oh just shut up! Your little charade is started to get on my nerves!" she shouted and Jasper immediately closed her mouth.

"I don't really care if this so-called hybrid is real or not, although I'm hoping it is. I'd love an actual challenge. But…why do you want me to leave so badly? Is it because of the fact you screwed up such a simple mission? Are you afraid that I'll…**punish** you?" she asked before reaching behind her back.

"RAH!" Instinctively Jasper threw a straight right arm-powered punch with no real weight behind it; she just wanted to get her away from her body. Pitch quickly backed away, dodging the attack. Her eyes narrowed at the panting gem.

"…Attacking a commanding officer? And a defenseless one at that?" she asked.

"You were about to summon your weapon!" Jasper retorted

"**Wrong**. I was just about to scratch my back. Now you know what this means. That's grounds for destabilization and decommission. However…as I'm sure you know…**that's not how I operate**" she smiled as she drew her weapons and threw them towards her at high speeds.

Jasper's eyes widened at the deadly barrage. She managed to jump in time to avoid being skewered, but the ordeal was only beginning.

* * *

**CLANIINK** "WHA-AAAH!"

Due to only focusing on the blades, she failed to notice that there were chains were attached to them as well! Pitch managed to raise her arm in way that caused a loop in the chain line and wrapped it around Jasper's ankle. Using her impressive strength, she threw her against the wall with the shattered power source, caving it in even more.

"GAAAAH!" Gradually her limp body fell out of the depression and onto the hard, steel floor.

"Auuuuuuhhhhh" Jasper moaned but it was quickly replaced by a strangled "GRAUH!"

Pitch's long, thin fingers wrapped around her neck – squeezing her until y-shaped veins revealed themselves through her striped skin. "Y'know…you were right to be afraid of me, aside from the obvious. Like I said, I have a mission to complete and I'm on a tight schedule."

Pitch drew out a single blade and pressed it up against Jasper's gem. She brought her close so her squinted eyes could gaze upon her soul-less, cold eyes. "I have a parting gift for you from Yellow Diamond. "_I warned you not to make me regret it"_ she whispered.

"_NO!"_ Jasper thought as a reel of unfinished things passed through her mind in the blink of an eye. But the end mark always ended with Steven. "_I…I can't die! Not like this!"_ Jasper closed her eyes and angrily ground her fangs while a trickle of tears flowed down her soiled face. But just before she could slice her gem in half, a bright, orange light erupted out of her gemstone, blinding the executioner.

"What the?!" she thought when she felt the immense surge of energy throughout her body. She immediately opened her eyes when she heard Pitch's surprised yelp.

"GAH!" she grunted as she briefly held her free arm over her eyes to shield them from the harsh glow.

But that was all Jasper needed.

An array of diamond fractals surrounded her face as she summoned her helmet. "Hrrrgh!" she grunted as she focused her energy into reconstructing her body by stretching out her neck as if it were made out of rubber. And just like a rubber band snapping back into place, she brought neck back to normal size – effectively dishing out a high speed, critical head butt hit square onto Pitch's face.

"GRAUUUUH!" she yelled and immediately released Jasper from her choke hold, dropping her to the floor; surprisingly she didn't fall to the ground but the impact did push her back a bit.

"GRRRRR! Why you defective piece of shee-GUUUUH!" Pitch didn't even get to finish her demeaning curse before Jasper rammed into her full speed. Before she was crushed against a wall, Pitch rapidly summoned another pair of chain swords and threw them towards the opposite wall, lodging them deep within the bed rock to allow her body serve as a kind of catch net.

But it still didn't stop the damage being inflicted onto her body due to the vicious spin dash attack. "HRRRGH!" she grunted as she bent backwards and did the ultimate limbo move – sliding underneath the whirling gem.

Jasper's trajectory was brief when she realized that she wasn't hitting anything anymore and she unfurled herself right on top of the plug robanoid elevator. She turned around and got in her fighting stance, ready to continue her beat down. But the disheveled sight of the black gem paralyzed her in her place.

Pitch's already tattered cloak was ripped to shreds and laid in a heap on the floor, revealing what no one has seen in many millennia. She was wearing a form-fitting, long-sleeved unitard that had subtle shades of black armor patches along her deltoids, biceps and calves. The unitard also stretched around her feet. She had a tattered dark purple poncho-like garment with a blank-colored diamond on top of her body suit.

But it wasn't the appearance modifiers that shocked Jasper, it was her actual **misshapen** body form. Her broad shoulders, large chest and biceps were about half the size of Jasper's muscles, but the way the muscularity gradually lessened once the it reached the forearms was unsettling. It was as if someone took a vacuum cleaner, attached the hose part of the machine to her arm and sucked the muscle out – leaving a skinny forearm with equally bony fingers. The same muscle deformity occurred in her lower body as well. Her swelled thighs shrank down to runner's calves, although it looked bone-thin in Jasper's sight.

Her face was still covered with the remaining shawl, but for how long was anyone's guess. Jasper could even make out a long braided pony tail that fluttered from behind her back. Surprisingly…it was slightly auburn in color.

"Wh…what the heck are you?" Jasper couldn't stop herself from asking, and she really she wished she had. She gulped when she saw Pitch's pupils narrow into little slits, which was unnatural considering they're in such a dark environment.

"I'm the one that's going to make sure that your painful screams reach home world. Yellow Diamond will be sure to enjoy that sound" she coldly answered before rushing towards Jasper. The striped warrior barely had any time to react before she was bombarded with a powerful barrage of close-combat punches and kicks.

"GUUUH!" she let out as a nasty roundhouse kick to her abdomen sent her flying back into the cavern, and unfortunately her body landed face first on all the leftover debris.

"Got anything else you want to say?" she asked as she approached her downed opponent. Jasper shakily used her arms to lift her body up and spit out a rock that had entered her mouth.

"Yea, I got something to say. My little cub punches harder than you! I can't believe I was ever scared of you!" she chuckled while showing her cocky grin. But her gloating was instantly stopped once Pitch grabbed her by her hair, nearly tearing some of it off by its roots, and threw her into the ceiling.

"GRAAAACKH!"

Before she fell to the ground, Pitch summoned four more chain blades. She wrapped one of them around her wrist and lodging the blade deep within one of the holes on the ceiling, letting her hang like a fresh piece of meat. She strung her other limbs until she was fully suspended midair. Jasper cracked one eye open and saw the deformed gem below her, sharpening two of her blades together.

"Should've kept your mouth shut Jasper. Well…it doesn't matter now. While I did vow that your scream would ring throughout the cosmos, I believe silence is golden as the saying goes" she stated as she brought the blade close to her face so she could examine its sharpness, nodding in satisfaction.

"…Heh. Yea…w-wouldn't your dirty little secret to get out" Jasper coughed out. Pitch lowered the swords and glared at her target. "Who knew that the great and powerful Pitch Black was such a-GAH!" Jasper screamed when the chain on her left arm pulled tighter, painfully stretching out her construct.

"Remember what I said about preserving your gem? Every word you speak brings you closer to your inevitable demise. I'm trying to do you a favor and prolong your worthless life til I can deliver the perfect, final blow. Got a reputation to maintain" she spoke as she lowered her wrist.

"W-Wow…th-thanks" she sarcastically spat out before the chain around her right arm yanked on her frame a little tighter.

"Strike two" she pointed out as she twirled her sword in her finger. "Heh…y'know, you really are something else. You lost your status, your diamond, even your home. I mean look at the position you're in! And yet you still keep spouting off this nonsense. No wonder you're a reject. **Worthless**. Well…stupid is as stupid does."

"…Th-then that saying applies to you more than it does to me. I haven't lost anything! In fact, you could say I got an upgrade. I'm back home and it's a lot better than before and I'm a tiger teacher to a **king**! And you know us Jaspers…we keep going until we get what we want. Mine just came in an unexpected way. Good thing that part of my gem make up wasn't left out of me!" she declared before another agonizing grunt came out of her throat.

"A king you say? Now that's **rich**. Must be a lousy ruler if it has you as its teacher. And where is your king now? I thought a ruler was supposed to protect its subjects" she sneered as she un-flexed her hand again.

"In that case…my little cub is nobler than all the diamonds combined" Jasper stated.

"…And that" Pitch said as she clenched her fist, causing the final chain line to pull on her right leg, eliciting another painful moan. "Was your final strike. It's sickening to even fathom that your loyalty was swayed to join a so-called king of a doomed planet. You know that the cluster will emerge soon so it's only a matter of time before its empire is obliterated. And I can't wait to see it from Yellow Diamond's surveillance hub. Hopefully we still have coverage in this system. But at least I can get a head start in eliminating one of its "prized" advisors. It'll be pleasure to shut your blasphemous mouth for good. At least you can have the honor of lasting this long in a fight against me" she stated as she crossed her blades in front of her chest, ready to complete the move she started earlier.

"W-wrong…I-I won't have anything stick to me. **You're** the one who's going to have this humiliation stuck in your head for all eternity!" Jasper shouted.

Pitch glared at her with pupil-less, murky water eyes and let out a loud growl. "GrrrrrAAAAH!"

Just before she lunged at Jasper, she was caught by the ankle and hastily hoisted into the air.

"**What the?!"** both of them concurrently asked as the tangling mass continued to ensnare the black gem in its tightening grip.

"GAAAA!" she screamed as she felt little barbs poke her skin. "WHAT IS THIS?!" Somehow the squirming mass heard her demand and the one end of the line that was wrapped around her waist hissed at the dangerous foe.

Jasper's eyes widened when the realization of what that thing was dawned on her. "…_No way. It can't be! Then that means"_ but her train of thought was interrupted by another frustrated yell.

"HRRGH! I-I don't w-what stunt you're trying to pull but it's not going to work!" she snarled as she bit through part of the trap that was around her shoulder with her newly morphed canines, gradually gnawing away until her left arm was free.

"DIE!" she yelled as she raised her surging energy blade – ready to slash through everything in her sight.

But she didn't get to follow through with threat.

"GUH!"

A low hum reverberated along the cavern walls, bringing an abrupt yet satisfying ending to the frenzied requiem Pitch tried to orchestrate.

She slowly looked down as her construct began to glitch and dissipate. Jasper couldn't believe her eyes either.

Right through her abdomen was a slender, pink blade – specifically intended for knock-out precision. With the last little bit of energy that she had, Pitch glanced behind her and what she saw actually made her shudder. It was a massive pink fur-covered being with glowing white eyes and a snarling countenance.

"T…he…hy…b…rid…th…e…**ki…ng**…wa…s…re…al!" she uttered before her body exploded into a black cloud. The light from the blade disappeared as it retracted back into the orb on his hand.

* * *

Levon stood tall and unwavering as the smoke disappeared from his imposing form. **pheeeewwww** He inhaled and exhaled as he closed his eyes, allowing his tense muscles to finally relax from the harrowing ordeal; his fur followed suit as it went from near cactus bristles back to its signature soft and downy coat.

He was so into his calming trance that he didn't the notice the severity of his attack. But the sound of her demise reverberated within the head holes of the captive gem.

**CLIIINK CLINK**

"S-She's…gone" Jasper whispered to herself as she watched the **two halves** of Pitch's inert gem fall to the floor - mingling with the rest of rubble. With her defeat, the chains that were holding her disappeared as well. She was about to fall onto the floor again but Levon caught her in time.

"L-Levon!?" Jasper asked in disbelief.

"Jasper, are you okay?! Do you need me to lick you anywhere?!" the hybrid frantically asked as he gently set her down and looked her over.

But her mind was still trying to comprehend everything that just happened within that split second. She stared at her worried cub and the even bigger Rudy as it seamlessly wrapped himself around his waist.

"…Levon" she repeated again since that was the only thing her mind could conjure up at the moment.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner but I got attacked by a bunch of those cluster experiments and when I finally got here I heard the talking and she was moving so fast and Rudy"

"Levon!" Jasper said a little more forcefully, stopping the rambling fusion.

Soon a grin crossed her lips before transforming into tiny chuckles and finally erupting into full on boisterous laughter. She couldn't stop herself nor did she want to.

But Levon tilted his head to left in confusion and his eyes widened when he saw tears stream down her face.

"Jasper! What's wrong?!" he asked.

"I don't even know!" she laughed as she wiped her eyes.

"H-Huh?"

"I'll admit it right now, **I was scared out of my construct.** I mean I was this close to being shattered! This close! Not just into little shards either; there's no coming back from an attack from Pitch Black! Then you and your giant-sized armor come in and take down the deadliest assassin in all of home world! Do you know what that means?" she asked.

"N-No?"

"**You're an IDIOT**!" she yelled.

"Huh?! Wh-What?!"

"You and Rudy could've been killed! I was trying to protect you! All of you guys! I didn't want any of you to deal with her. You guys are my purpose for fighting…for **living**. But that plan fell through the cracks. I don't even remember what my plan was anymore! Anyway why would you risk your life like that!?" she demanded.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked back, startling Jasper. "I basically did the same thing you were trying to do so…wouldn't that make you an idiot too?"

"What?! No! This is different! I'm a quartz! I'm was made to fight!"

"And I'm a diamond…kinda. So what?"

"What do you mean so what?! You're too important! You shouldn't be anywhere near a fight!" she retorted.

"Then what's the point of doing all that training?" he asked.

"That's for extreme circumstances!" she replied.

"Like this one?" he gestured to the dented cavern.

"I…Well…GAH! Look, the point is my life is meaningless without you in it! If something were to happen to you-"

"Jasper" Levon said as placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short, that's them voodoo pins talking. Everyone's life has a purpose and I'm only a little part of yours. The past is your bun and it's holding you, the hot dog. I'm only the hot sauce on it, since I know you like spicy foods. There are still many things for you to add to make it your one of a kind delicacy. So please…**don't be like how Pearl was with my mom**" he pleaded when he recalled how blindly dedicated Pearl could be to his mom – so much so that she would jump in front of her during battle even though it wasn't necessary.

That rocked Jasper to her core. She looked at his hand, then up to his big kitty eyes before shaking her head side to side.

"…You don't make any sense. Even…even after everything I did why would you-"

"Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Jasper…just because we're not like this right now" he explained by interlocking his ring finger and thumb circles together. "Doesn't mean we won't be like that in the future. And I know it'll be sooner rather than later the way things are going. So there was no way I was going to let someone get in the way of that! Once Lapis and Peridot told us about Pitch Black, I knew I had to do something. That's just-"

"What a family do" Jasper finished with a smile as she wiped the remaining tears out of her eyes.

Levon smiled and nodded. "C'mon, get in here" he said as he held his arms open. "I'm big enough to actually hold you now. Although…I guess I could've just shape-shifted earlier. Man! Why didn't I think of that before?!"

Jasper shook her head and chuckled, "You really are something" before lunging at him. Luckily he was able to subdue his pained grimace when she squeezed him in a tiger hug; he still had to sit down though.

It still didn't go unnoticed by Jasper and she said, "Sorry! I didn't mean to squeeze so hard! Hey…wait a sec." She finally got a good look at his scarred up body and asked, "What the heck happened to you!?"

"_Maybe I should be a professional story teller"_ Levon thought before he recounted the events of duel.

"…Whoa. Well, I'm not surprised that you were able to beat her. You are quite the warrior. Excuse me, _**the strongest **__**warrior**_" she praised.

"I was trained well" he credited and Jasper showed a small grin but it disappeared when she noticed his frown.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just worried about Amethyst. I know she's…um…"

"Yea…I know. But you shouldn't worry. You don't want the worst outcome to happen do you?" she asked and Levon vehemently shook his head no. "That's what I thought. Besides, you're in her corner. We all are. Heh…never thought I say that. But then again…this isn't home world."

"Um…"

"What is it Levon?"

"Well…when I found you guys here, I waited for a bit for the right opening and so Rudy could get enough energy out of my gem-"

"So that's how he got so big" Jasper realized. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine. But anyway…I heard her call you all these names and that you were made-"

"On Earth? Yea, that's true" she acknowledged. "Wish you didn't have to find out that way…or at all." she muttered.

"Why not? That's just another tasty ingredient on your hot dog! Maybe sriracha? So…would that make us brother and sister? Or distant cousins?" he asked.

Jasper blinked a couple of times, then chuckled and said, "Only you Levon. Only you. Let's stick with tiger and cub, alright?"

"Okay" he smiled.

"Heh…I wish I could see the look on Yellow Diamond's face if or when she finds out that you **shattered** her "ultimate" fighter" Jasper proudly stated, but Levon froze in place.

"S-Shattered? What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean what I mean. Look" Jasper walked around the cavern and sifted through the rubble until she spotted the two halves of the deadly assassin. "Here she is" she said as she placed the two pieces in his trembling hand. "Now that's some pin point precision. Then again you are fused with a natural hunter so this must've easy for you locate her gem."

"…No" he muttered.

"No? No to what?"

"Nonononono! I didn't mean to shatter her! I just wanted her to stop hurting you but I killed her! It was an accident" he panicked.

"**Levon**" Jasper boomed and he gave her his full attention. "First, this isn't any different than when you fought that corrupted gem back on Lion's hunting grounds. You saved me just like you saved him. Isn't that the most important thing?"

"Well yea but-"

"Hold on I'm not done" she cut him off. "Second, we are…or at least we're going to be at war with home world. There will be casualties but you can't let that distract you from the main objective: protecting Earth, our home and those we care about. How else do you think your mother drove off the invading gems? By winning battles and **a lot** of them. Remember, I was there on the front lines surrounded by all those shards, all fighting for their respective sides and causes."

Levon absorbed her argument and let out a resigning sigh. "…You're right" he conceded.

"Hey now…cheer up. It's not like she's _dead_ dead. You can fix her back up with your healing spit, but **not now**" she quickly added and Levon nodded his head. He brought the two halves up to his face so he could get a better look at them.

"It's…kinda scary huh? How fragile we are."

"I guess, but you sure don't show any fear" Jasper observed.

"Yea…I guess just thinking about you guys and your safety gets rid of it" he explained.

"Well…now it's the same thing with me. So plant me in the ground and call me an idiot" Jasper joked and Levon smiled at that. But his toothy grin disappeared when he noticed something on Pitch's gem.

"What is it Levon?" she asked.

"Look at this! There's something inside" he said as he gave her the shards. Jasper took the shards and made a light with her gem so she could see what he saw. And what she found made her eyes go wide-eyed with shock.

"…No way" she uttered.

"What? What is it?"

"We have to go back. Peridot needs to scan this. Not to mention you have to give them the epic play by play" she praised, causing a blush to appear on his cheeks.

He smiled and replied, "Yea!" But then he went back to serious mode and added, "And we have to tell them about the cluster or whatever Pitch was talking about. Sounds like the Earth is in danger!"

"O-Oh…right…that too" Jasper agreed.

Levon picked her up, summoned a lily pink arm slasher, tore open another portal and left the dank cavern to be enveloped by silence once again.

* * *

_**Back at the temple…**_

The tense and anxious atmosphere replayed itself inside the house like a tubetube video on infinite repeat. The only constant beat was the fleet footsteps of Pearl's pacing back and forth across the living room floor. She nervously wrung the end of her sash in her hands as the color continued to drain out of her skin with each lap she completed. Her unnecessary breathing was becoming shallower and more erratic as more disturbing videos of detestable scenarios kept playing in her constricted pupils.

Garnet sat in one of the bar stools with her shaking hands clasped together in front of her face. She leaned her forehead on top of her trembling digits to try and settle her jittery nerves, praying for any sign of their well-being.

Perdiot was sitting on the couch with both holo-pads engaged – one trying to lock onto their energy signature while the other was trying to come up with possible strategies in the event that they would have to face Pitch Black. However, the anxiety ridden electrical pulses flowing through her body made the concurrent tasks almost impossible to focus on.

Lapis laid on top of Steven's bed, playing with the fuzzy mane of his stuffed pink lion. She sighed before turning over to face the loft window. The sun was slowly setting below the ocean line creating an array of oranges and pinks that meshed beautifully with the light blue back drop. "…Levon…Jasper" she whispered to herself as she clutched the toy lion closer to her bosom and curled up into the fetal position.

Soon the overwhelming pressure became too much for the ghost-colored gem as she shrilled from the top of her lungs, "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

That caused everyone to pop up real quick.

"I'M NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR THEM TO COME BACK IN PIECES!" she yelled as she bolted for the warp pad.

"Pearl! Wai-" But Garnet didn't even have a chance to finish her warning before a pink, jagged shaped portal appeared in front of planetary pad with the titanic duo emerging out of it.

Unfortunately…they didn't have any traction to stop their momentum.

"What the?!" "Whooooa!" **CRASH** **PSSSAHHH** **CLANNNNK**

"Jasper! Pearl! Levon!" they all shouted as the rest of them gems approached the sprawled out trio, trying not to end up on the floor as well as they avoided the toppled furniture.

"Uhhhh…." Jasper moaned as she used her arms to get up, but she stopped midway when she heard a small peep, or something close to that. _"Huh? What the?"_ she thought as she opened her eyes and saw Pearl right under her and that she had her hand pressed on her stomach.

"Aw shoot!" Jasper exclaimed as she scrambled off of the stunned gem. "I-I'm sorry Pearl I just" but her apology was cut off when she grabbed her in a tight hug, which surprised even Jasper. She never thought a Pearl could have this much strength.

"JASPER! YOU'RE OKAY!" she cried as she soaked her chest with her tears.

"A-Alright. That's enough!" she stuttered out as that strange feeling returned in her gut.

Pearl immediately let go and smiled at the flustered gem before realizing, "Levon! Where's Levon?!"

"Mrrrrooooowwww" Pearl quickly turned around as Lapis, Garnet and Peridot gave her fused protégé room to sit up.

Not like it mattered.

"Ughhhh…s-sorry for the-" He didn't even have a chance to finish his apology for whatever he was about to apologize for before all of them, except Jasper, piled on top of him – pinning him back down onto the floor and smothering him with hugs and tears.

"LEVON!" they all cried but Jasper yelled "HEY! Get off of him! He's still hurt remember?!" That snapped them out of their frantic yet relieved state of mind as a collective gasp passed through all of them. They scrambled off of the battered warrior and profusely apologized to him.

He laughed and said, "It's okay. Y'know me, I'm never one to turn down a hug!" Everyone chuckled at that and wiped the happy tears out of their eyes.

"I-I guess I should've known by now that you'd be alright" Lapis choked out.

"No kidding! You two beat Pitch?! Ha! Take that you Yellow CLOD!" Peridot screamed to the air with her fist clenched.

"We didn't beat Pitch. **He** did" Jasper proudly corrected.

"Well done Levon! I'm so proud of you" Garnet congratulated as she ruffled his mane, causing him to purr. "You really never cease to amaze me"

"How on Earth did you defeat that assassin?!" Pearl asked.

"Yes! Describe every single detail of your deadly encounter!" Peridot added as she brought her holo-pad up to take notes.

"A-Alright, but I only have a little bit of the play by play. Jasper's the one who really got into it with her" explained Levon.

"Then I'll start and you can finish it with the **final blow**" she extenuated by punching her right fist into her left hand.

Levon let out a nervous chuckle and replied, "Y-Yea" before looking at the ground. "But wait…where's Amethyst? Is she okay!? And where's Connie!?"

"Lapis took Connie home shortly after you left to fight Pitch. She was having one of those panic attacks due to the uncertainty of your well-being so we decided to let her be in a more familiar surrounding without our…**ahem** worrying countenances. Make sure you call her and let her know you're okay" Pearl instructed and he nodded his head. "And as for Amethyst, she's fine…but" she started but got tongue tied trying to think of the right way to explain the situation.

Garnet followed up and finished, "She reformed about two hours ago and she ran straight to her room. She's been in there ever since…she just needs time to process everything."

"…Oh. Is…is it alright if I check on her later?" Levon asked.

"I'd think she'd appreciate that" Garnet smiled and Levon gave a small smile back. "Guess it's story time now. Jasper, the floor is yours"

Like a war veteran relieving the scene, she repainted the graphic images – stunning the audience into silence. But a couple of key points stood out.

"You're an Earth gem!?" Pearl asked.

"Yep…born in the beta kindergarten of facet nine. Nothing to brag about" she brushed off.

"Unfortunately she's right. That kindergarten was made of red sandstone. I'd be shocked if it actually still exists. It was basically a test site to see how the planet would react to the injectors. Needless to say it was success and then production on the prime kindergarten of facet five began" Peridot explained.

"…If you want to call it a success. It wasn't for some of us" Jasper lamented and Peridot quickly said, "I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean-"

"No, it's me" she said cutting her off. "Some of those voodoo pins are still in my gem, but at least I know when to catch myself and pull them out" she said looking at Levon.

"Yea! And now she's my cousin/sister/tiger teacher since we were both made on Earth! How cool is that?!" he exclaimed with starry eyes.

"Very cool!" Garnet agreed and everyone smiled at that.

"What I want to know is what in the world were you thinking?!" Pearl asked.

"Honestly I don't even know anymore. But it doesn't matter. I'm here, he's here and we're all okay" she replied.

"No kidding! I've never heard of a Jet looking like that before. No wonder she kept her body covered. Not that it mattered, since she could beat anyone to dust" Peridot added.

"So how did you beat her?" Lapis asked.

"Alright Levon, your turn" Jasper said and Levon nodded his head.

"When I heard Jasper scream out, I followed the sound to where I first found Peridot, y'know after she blasted everything to bits? Then I picked up Pitch's scent and tracked them down. But I ran into a bunch of clusters along the way and they were kinda trying to climb on top of me…no. That's not it…what's the word?" he pondered.

"Smothering" Garnet said.

"Yea, that's it! Like how you guys were hugging me right now! They just appeared out of nowhere and kept clawing and grabbing me, even after I put up my bubble shield" he explained.

Pearl nearly fainted when she visualized a swarm of those mutant gems on top of him.

"It took me a while before I poofed them all…I wonder why they just showed up like that?"

"Hmm…maybe they were responding to your aura. It might still be working even though you're not singing" Lapis suggested.

"I'm…a **cluster magnet**?" he simplified.

"In a way…yes" she agreed.

"This is great!" he exclaimed.

"What?! Why?!" Pearl asked.

"I'll get to that in a second, I want to finish the story. So I picked up Pitch's scent again and followed it to the underground cavern. When I got there Jasper was already fighting her…and losing. I wanted to jump in and help but she was moving around so fast that I could barely keep up! It was really frustrating to watch because I knew I had to wait for an opening, but she just kept hitting her non-stop until she finally tied her up with her chain swords. That was the opening I was waiting for, but I knew I had to stop her in her tracks if I wanted to win. That's when I came up with the idea to have Rudy trap her, just like she had you trapped in her chains.

But he wasn't big enough.

He tried eating some of the kindergarten dirt to get some growing energy, but he spit it out. I don't blame him, I wouldn't eat that dirt either – it looked gross. That's when I remembered that he took some of mom's energy in order to survive. So I figured that if he absorbed my energy he could grow" he explained.

"WHAT!?" Pearl shrilled.

"Yea…Rudy didn't like the idea either, but it was the only way to save Jasper. So he put his mouth on my gem and started eating it – more or less. He actually started to glow with a pink light" he said.

"Fascinating" Perdiot chimed in.

"Are you okay?" Lapis asked.

"Yea, I mean I was a little tired at first but I got my energy back real quick. Maybe it was because of all the adrenaline or whatever Connie calls it flowing through me. Anyway, so Rudy went all stealth mode, slithered up behind her and grabbed her by her ankle, hoisting her up into the air. You should've seen him, he was huge! Probably taller than our house. But then Pitch started chewing him up into little pieces; he kept on growing and tangling her up, but she got one arm free and shouted "**DIE**". That's when I…I…" he trailed off.

"You what? What did you do!?" Peridot asked with wide-expectant eyes; the rest of the captivated audience waited with baited breath to hear the conclusion of the saga.

"…_**I shattered her.**_"

"WHAT!?" exclaimed Peridot. "You shattered Pitch Black!?"

Levon ears drooped a bit and he slowly nodded his head.

"Levon, what's wrong?" Lapis asked.

"I-I'm sorry I shattered her" he quietly apologized as he looked at Pearl and Garnet.

"Why are you sorry? You stopped that crazy gem from getting us and hurting the planet!" Peridot countered.

"**B-But it's still a life**! I know she was made that way and it's not her fault and I didn't want Jasper to die either and-"

"Levon" Garnet interrupted as she put her hand on his shoulder. She looked at him with her unshaded eyes and spoke, "_I understand._ All this time we preached how your mother believed that every life was precious and worth protecting, but in some instances…she had to go against her own doctrine. It might not have been what was right for her, but she always did what was right for Earth. And that's exactly what you did. You were in a harrowing situation and you made the right call that made sure **you** came out on top. Because in the end your safety comes first, then ours.** Don't ever forget that**."

"Yea Levon. Like I said, you're my main reason to fight now" Jasper reminded and everyone nodded at that notion.

Levon smiled and said, "Thanks guys."

"So is her gem still in the kindergarten?" Peridot asked.

"No, I have it. Actually, Jasper said you need to take a look at it. There's something **inside** it" he said.

"Inside it? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just take a look and see for yourself" Jasper replied.

Levon reached inside his mane and pulled out a rose-colored bubble containing the defeated assassin.

"EEEP!" Peridot squeaked and covered her face with her arms when he popped it.

"…Peridot?" Levon called out.

The green gem slowly lowered her arms and saw everyone staring at her like she had a second head. "…What?! I'm nervous alright?! This is Pitch Black's gem we're talking about! What if she regenerates?!" she asked in a panic.

"Then we'll keep on breaking her until she's down for good" Jasper simply replied.

"Jasper!" Lapis hissed.

"Wha…oh" she realized when she saw Levon staring intently at the two pieces in his hands. "And obviously we'll put her back together later" she quickly added and Levon half-heartedly hummed in agreement.

He sighed and apologized, "Sorry guys. It's just…I mean it's still pretty jarring y'know. I know I've been training and all that…but this isn't as easy I thought it would be."

"Don't be sorry. No is ever ready for war…_I know I wasn't_" Lapis silently added.

"Lapis is right. Like your dad said, there is no such thing as a good war. But if an ideal is worth fighting for, then you can best believe that there will be those who will be willing to fight for it" stated Garnet.

"Even if it's believing in a system like home world's?" Levon asked and she nodded her head.

"Like you said about Pitch and big Amethyst, that's all they've ever known. And sometimes it'll take a really big** slap** to the face to help them see that there is something greater out there" she grinned while looking at Jasper and she showed a small smile back.

"But…wouldn't that make us like home world? Forcing our ideals onto them just because we won?" he asked.

"Levon" Pearl spoke and he gave her his attention. "Think of it like this…if we didn't force you to eat your fruits and vegetables when you were younger, your body would be missing out on important vitamins and nutrients, leading it to become unhealthy and sick constantly. If a system, whether on Earth or home world, like that exists…then I'd willing to be shattered if it meant that everyone can finally get the nutrients they need and no longer be sick."

"Oooooh!" Levon understood as little stars appeared in his eyes.

"Heh…a food analogy from someone who doesn't like to eat" Jasper chuckled causing Pearl to blush. Before she could explain her reasoning, she ruffled her hair and followed up with, "But it works either way." Pearl blinked a couple of times before looking at the ground as a deeper blush enveloped her face.

"But ultimately…it's their call whether or not to accept it. That's why your mother didn't want to shatter any gems; she wanted to give them a chance without any outside pressures. Just to let them experience it with new eyes so to speak" Garnet chimed in.

Levon nodded and looked back down at the two halves in his hands. "_I hope you'll like the experience"_ he thought before handing them to Peridot.

She took the two halves and stuck them together like a puzzle. "Hmmm…this is very peculiar. I've never seen a seven-sided gem before let alone a gem with an odd number of sides." She broke it apart and carefully looked inside.

"Do you see it Peridot?" Levon asked.

"I-I do…but that's impossible. Then that would mean…no! We can't assume anything! Just give a few minutes to give it a thorough analysis" she replied. She quickly set up the toppled living room table, set the shards down, engaged her digits to surround them and began scanning them.

After a couple of tense minutes Peridot retracted her finger back into place. "…Unbelievable" she quietly uttered.

"What is it?" Garnet asked.

"**Pitch is a** **cluster**" she revealed.

"WHAT?!" everyone shouted.

"Although not in the sense as what we've dealing with so far. I doubt she even knew that she was a cluster" she clarified.

"What are you talking about Peridot?" Pearl asked.

"See for yourself" she gestured to the table.

Pearl and Garnet looked at one half while Lapis looked at the other one.

"Do you see those little **orange lines**?" Everyone nodded and she continued, "It's faint but I definitely picked up traces of Carnelian. At first I thought the lines were different markings, which isn't uncommon on gemstones."

"She's right. We had an ally named Ocean that had pink and green spots on her gem" Garnet added.

"Right. And if you hadn't of told me about the abnormality with her appearance, I would've assumed it was just another trait to her rarity. But Jets have always been solid black and they typically have a small hexagon gem to correspond with their thin frame. Hence the speed. But her gem is nearly four-times the size of a normal Jet" she explained.

"That's why she looked like that! She really was part quartz" Jasper realized.

"Indeed, but here's the difference. The clusters we've seen have been made up different shards. The Carnelian parts in her gem are blended so seamlessly together that there's no way it could've been a forced fusion" she pointed out.

"So that means that this is all **one** gem" Lapis said and Peridot nodded at her deduction.

"The only way for this to happen was if the material for a Carnelian bled into her gem during incubation. Whether or not this was deliberate or an accident I don't know."

"No wonder she was so volatile when she emerged. Having two different natures conflicting against one another inside of your head will drive anyone crazy. What in the world did Yellow do to her to make her more or less sane?" Jasper wondered.

"I can only imagine" Peridot shuddered as Garnet bubbled the shards and sent them inside the temple.

"That's probably why the clusters were made. She's trying to combine different parts of gems in order to create another Pitch Black. And if she could subdue her, there's no telling what would happen if the diamonds had a whole armada of those things!" Lapis deduced.

"Then we have to stop them!" Levon said.

"We've been doing that already" Peridot pointed out.

"No, I mean we have to stop them now! While Pitch had Jasper tied up, she said that the cluster will emerge soon and that it's only a matter of time before Earth is destroyed! I think the clusters are like little termites or ants that keep burrowing underground as they're trying to get out. They must be messing around with the Earth's nerves or something and if they're not stopped they could cause the planet to erupt on itself! …And they don't even know what they're doing because they're scared and confused. So that's why I said it's great that I'm kinda like a cluster magnet. I can stand in the kindergarten, they all come to me, you guys can poof them and we can start separating the shards faster!" he beamed with starry pupils.

"No, no, no. I'm afraid you're mistaken in your theory" Peridot shook her finger.

"Huh?" he asked while everyone else stared at her with wide-eyed incredulous gazes.

"Well first off, Pitch said **cluster**. There wasn't an added suffix to make it plural. At least I think that's how your human English language works. Anyway, that means it's a single-HMMP!" Peridot's running mouth was covered up by Jasper's hand.

"_You idiot! Shut your mouth!" _she harshly whispered.

"HMMMMP! WHLAMP…OmmmmAH!" her surprised grunt made it known to the rest of the gems about the severity of what she was about to reveal.

"What? A single what?!" Levon asked.

"Nothing! It's nothing. You we're right! Yep!" Peridot assured with a smile but Levon merely frowned at her.

"…What's going on?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

"L-Levon, it's nothing really-"

"Yes it is!" he boomed as he surged to his feet and Pearl immediately shrunk back down. "Something's going on with our home and you guys know something, so what is it?"

Everyone looked at each other with nervous glances. Lapis stood up and tried to soothe the increasingly irate fusion.

"Levon please…we're just trying to protect you-"

"**Protect me from what**?! I can protect myself now! I mean I just took down one of the most dangerous gems on home world! What more do I have to do in order to be on the same level as you guys?!" he exasperated.

"Levon, th-that's not it. We know you're strong" Lapis assured.

"Then what are you guys hiding?!" His patience was wearing thin. The only time where he didn't want to be told about something was if it was a surprise party or an impromptu treat. But it wasn't anywhere near his birthday and there was way too much at stake to be left out of the loop.

Suddenly the green gem had a case of amnesia as she tried to back out of her earlier statement, "Oh…y'know what I completely forgot what I was going to say right now. Sooo…yep. No info in here. Just Poof! Disappeared. And-"

In the midst of her rambling she didn't notice that Levon closed his eyes and was taking deep breaths in order to try and calm himself down…but to no avail.

"Guess doing all that analysis work did a number on my construct soGAH!" Perdiot suddenly grabbed at her gem as she felt a massive headache traverse through her mind.

"PERIDOT!" everyone else shouted as they watched her crumple to the floor while grabbing her head.

"**Don't lie to me**" he growled as he looked at her with alizarin red eyes and **diamond-shaped **slit pupils with his finger pointed at her. "You **will** tell me what's going on. **Now**" he snarled.

"GAAH!" Peridot screamed as the pressure increased inside of her head; she was furiously running her fingers through her hair.

"Peridot! What's wrong?!" Lapis asked.

"This…this is **mind control**" Pearl gasped.

Those two words unleashed of plethora of unwelcomed memories inside of Jasper's mind. She was frozen in place as internal movies of her re-education flashed before her eyes; the raw images of Yellow's fiery eyes and unrelenting commands caused her to started hyperventilating.

"Jasper! Peridot!" Pearl cried as she shook them to try and snap them out of it.

"_…No. He's not one of them!"_ Lapis thought as she stood up and faced the intimidating fusion. "Levon! Stop! You're hurting her!" she cried but he was deaf to her pleas.

He was going to get what he wanted…one way or another.

"Levon please! I don't want to fight you!" she threatened but he didn't budge; he was rooted in his stance as if he was a statue. He didn't even flinch when she threw a water ball at him to try and snap him out of it, and that's saying something since Lion hates getting wet.

"Please! You're not like them!" she pleaded.

All of a sudden Peridot finally stood up, but she was still hunched over with a glazed look in her eyes. "My apologies…my **diamond"** she answered in a monotone voice. "Here is the information you desire. The clu-"

**POW** "RRRAGH!" "Guuuuh"

A ghastly symphony of painful roars and exhausted grunts filled the distressed sanctuary. Levon was laying on the floor with a fist-sized bruise starting to form on his left cheek – the swelling was making the welt bigger by the second.

Peridot collapsed to her knees since the unintentional commanding link was severed.

"Peridot!" Lapis yelled as she helped the green gem get her bearings whereas Pearl was trying to assure Jasper that she was safe.

Both of them looked up to see Garnet standing in front of everyone, almost as if her body was a shield. But this shield was beginning to crack; her Ruby-embedded hand…the one that dealt the damaging blow was shaking violently.

"Mrrrrooo" he moaned as he shook his head to get his bearings. He put his hand to cheek and when he felt how big it was and saw the blood on his fingertips, he shot her an incredulous glance then licked his palm and smeared the healing saliva on his injury. Just as quickly as it was inflicted, the welt began to disappear. "GRRRRRRR" he growled as he sat up.

"**Levon…Enough"** Garnet somehow commanded with an even voice. At least that got his attention but he still continued to bare his fangs at her. "Leave them out of this. **I **made the decision not to tell you about the real threat going on underground."

Levon closed his mouth and stared at her with wide eyes, silently asking "why" and "what threat?"

She sighed before answering both questions. "The truth is…we haven't been fighting clusters. We've haven't even been to kindergarten since the incident in the cavern. Those clusters that we saw that day are only prototypes. In actuality, there's planet-sized cluster deep with the Earth. Once it takes its final form…it'll destroy our home. So we've been building a drill to burrow down and use those gem cutting lasers to separate it. I didn't tell you because I didn't want **you** anywhere near it-"

And that was the last thing he heard come out of her mouth, even though her lips were still moving. Levon just stared at the floor with constricted pupils. "_They…didn't want me around. __**She **__didn't want me around! I-I thought she believed in me…"_ were the terrible misinterpretations repeating in his head. His breathing started to shorten, almost as if he was trying to find any clean air within a toxic cloud.

In actuality…he wasn't too far.

Like the rolling seashore fog, a familiar yet unwelcomed guest invaded the inner sanctum of his soul. _What did I tell you? No matter what you do…you'll always be inferior to them in their eyes. A weak little hybrid whose only companions are accidental animals…how fitting. _

Levon closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears to try and block it out, but his efforts proved to be fruitless.

_It's not enough to show them. Even defeating Pitch Black, the deadliest assassin home world's ever produced, wasn't enough. You have to __**force**__ them…just like what you did to Peridot._

"What? I-I didn't do anything to her" he refuted.

_Oh yes you did. Congratulations…you've reawakened your __**mind control powers**__, the ones your foolish mother sealed away. Like I said, you'll always turn to rage in your darkest hour. _

"N-no…I would never-"

_But you did because that is what you are! __**You're a diamond**__! Embrace your true heritage! Lord over all life like you're supposed to! _

"NO!" he roared.

* * *

On the outside, the gems were witnessing the manifestation of the internal battle. Levon was on all fours, grunting, growling and roaring incoherent words. He clawed at the wooden floor boards, leaving deep gashes in them. He had a raised ridge of hair along his spine; his tail and head were shaking violently while the orbs on the back of his hands burned with a blood red light.

"Wh-what's wrong with him?!" Peridot asked as she was held up by Lapis.

"No…not again. Not again!" Pearl repeated as she held her hands to her mouth.

"Don't tell me…he's turning into **Dark Levon**! I was just joking earlier!" Jasper shouted.

"No! We can't fight him! He's already been through so much!" Lapis cried.

"No. No one is fighting him" Garnet choked out as she somehow stayed upright. Her whole body was shaking and tears streamed out of all three of her eyes, although no one could see it since she had her back to them.

"_**I'm such a hypocrite**_" she chastised herself. "He's fighting those negative feelings because he's feels like we betrayed him…again. That we didn't trust him."

"But we do trust him! We just didn't want him to get hurt!" Lapis argued.

"Not like it mattered! He still ended up beaten, battered and scarred!" she shouted back as she looked at the ground. "**I…I was scared.** I believed in the worst possible outcome when I made that order and now it's actually happening. I should've realized it by now…he **wants** to be involved. He always has…even when he was little. Even though we couldn't take him on missions then, it always brightened his day whenever we would tell him stories or how he helped us by giving us get well kisses when we were hurt and exhausted. He said it himself…he feels like he still has to prove himself in our eyes…almost like Amethyst. Only we inflicted the weight of his mother's shadow upon him instead of letting him grow up to be his own person. That kind of inferiority complex doesn't go away overnight…he still fighting through it. I'm sick of him fighting!"

She rushed over and crouched down next to the frenzied predator. "LEVON!" she shouted. "DON'T GIVE UP!"

But those vile voices distorted hers. _Give up! _

"You're stronger than that thing! You can do it!"

_You're weak! You can't do anything without me! _

"Please…you have to win. **I believe in you**" In a bold move, she gently rubbed his tense back with her warm hand…but once again the enemy used that to his advantage.

_YOU CAN'T WIN! YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT! _Suddenly a black tentacle emerged out of the enveloping darkness, latching onto the frightened fusion's left shoulder.

"RAAAAAARRRRRRH!" he roared as he immediately stood up, causing Garnet to stumble for a brief second before she surged to her feet as well. A collective gasp rang through the house when the gems beheld the primal fusion with glowing, green diamond-slit pupils with every hair on his body standing up like little cactus needles.

"We have to do something!" Peridot screamed.

"No! We're not doing anything to him!" she commanded as they watched him slash at the air with his enhanced red-crystalline claws, before connecting with some of the furniture.

"Get back!" she ordered when one attack got a little too close for comfort and everyone moved near the entrance of them temple. They couldn't believe that they were even witnessing this frantic, uncontrollable destruction yet again.

"What're we going to do!? He's going to destroy the whole house!" Peridot asked.

"…We may have no choice but to fight him" Jasper conceded.

"Oh no you don't! Who knows how long it'll take for him to recover from big Amethyst's attack! I'd rather be shattered than to have him in a coma for a year!" Lapis refuted.

"Then you tell me an idea Lazuli because that scenario ain't too far off from happening!" she shot back as Levon let loose another deafening roar.

Yellow-tinted foam spilled from the couch cushions. The living room table looked like it had been used in a karate chopping competition that allowed knives. Deep gashes now decorated the bar counter complimented by broken bar stools.

"GRRRRRAH!" he yelled as he ran both of his claws diagonally across the wall with the screen door; surprisingly the door wasn't torn off its hinges, even though the protective screen was useless now. But the force of the hit caused something more precious to be knocked off its hook.

"GUH!" Levon grunted when the stunning portrait of Rose Quartz fell on top of his head. Before the picture could slide off of him, he grabbed the injury causing object and roared at it.

"LEVON! DON-" but Pearl's order fizzled out once she saw him **slash** right across the decorated canvas over and over. In some sort of sick and twisted poetic justice, the shredded remains pooled around his feet. He let out another thundering roar; to the shocked audience it could've been interpreted as a victory declaration if it wasn't for the fact that he was in another deadly situation in a realm they couldn't reach.

But it still didn't stifle the tears from pricking through Pearl's eyes. "N-No…" she choked out as she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Pearl" Garnet spoke and she looked at her. "Only shed tears if we lose **them**" she pointed at the feral hybrid. "That painting **isn't** Rose. Whatever is going on in Levon's mind is trying to destroy their precious experience and I'd sooner be a part of a cluster experiment before I let that happen" she gritted out as she walked towards him.

"Garnet?! What're you doing?!" Pearl shrilled.

"…_What I should've done in the first place"_ she thought before shouting "STEVEN! LION!"

Miraculously she managed to get his attention as he staggered to turn around and face her.

"GRRRRRR!" he shallowly growled out.

"This isn't you! You're a warrior! You're a crystal gem!"

_This is you now! You're a monster! To be feared and revered! Instilling fear wherever you go, maintaining your rule for all time! _

Levon closed his eyes and furiously shook his head. "ROOOOOOOAR!" he howled.

"LEVON!"

His eyes shot open when he heard his name again, but this time his pupils were surrounded by a faint purple haze. Through those obscure lenses, all he saw was a lone black, shapeless figure.

_YOU CAN'T DEFEAT ME! I WILL HAVE WHAT I DESIRE! _

"GRRRRRRRRRAH!" he roared as he lifted his razor sharp claws into the air, and brought them down onto his "enemy".

But the figure didn't move, despite the concerning yells of her comrades. "GARNET! WHAT ARE DOING!? MOVE!"

She stared down the frenzied fusion and whispered, "_…I'm sorry."_

* * *

**Will Garnet fall at Levon's hands? What about Amethyst's mental state? What will home world do when their punctual commander doesn't show up? What is this the true nature of the vile entity that constantly tries to mess with Steven? Tune in for the finale of "One on One".**

**Wow...lots of stuff going on in this chapter. Pitch is a prototype cluster, Jasper was made on Earth and her code name was R3JT = Reject; F4L = fail, Steven and Lion reawakened their mind control powers just to name a few. Not to mention the food correlated lessons...relatable knowledge is power!  
**

**And who knew that "Crack the Whip" basically happened in the last chapter, albeit with completely different gem duel.**

**I based Pitch's clothing from Sheik from the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time. Wonder why she had a blank diamond on her chest? And her swords are based on a kodachi and Kai's chain blades from Kung Fu Panda 3.  
**

**I'm aware that the situation does seem a bit redundant...more or less, but like Garnet like, these things don't disappear overnight. It could take a person years to get over negative feelings about themselves or a traumatic incident. Not to mention, there are some words or actions that'll trigger certain responses. That's what I'm trying to illustrate. For Lapis if she sees bubbles or someone mentions the word "bubbled" she'll shut down. For Jasper, it's flashing lights or certain phrases that'll trigger horrible memories before the fight or flight response kicks in, just as a couple examples. With Steven due to his powers, his triggers are amplified to the 100th power. It's never a pretty sight but once it's conquered for good it's an unbelievable feeling. Trust me, I know.**

**I'm sorry for the lateness and lack of responses. I'll explain tomorrow...it's a bit much to fit here. In the meantime I hope you enjoyed this chapter or as Ironic Username so eloquently put it "a superior re-imagining of Steven Universe"(thanks for that:) And thank you all for your continued support, it means a lot! **

**I also want to thank ****those whom I asked for advice for how to deal with Steven finding out about the Cluster via Peridot, you rock!(no pun intended).**

**And thanks to Komnenid for the cool idea about having Steven's eyes change into diamonds whenever his anger reaches his breaking point. He had to inherit some traits from his aunts.**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities and original characters.**


	40. Chapter 40

**When Steven sings, listen to Michael Jackson's "Stranger in Moscow."**

* * *

Run.

That was the first instinct of the frightened humanoid animal. Run from the gems. Run from the voices. But ultimately, he was trying to run from _himself_. From the pain of knowing that he had committed the ultimate sin in his sight.

**He had hurt Peridot**. One that had experienced more pain than anyone should ever have to go through. His own family member…forced into being a subservient puppet all because of his rage. …Just like it said.

_Why are you running? You know it's pointless! You have nowhere to go! _

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouted as he slashed through another tentacle.

_Heh…fine. Run all you want in your little cage; it doesn't matter._ _Wherever you run, I'll be there! This is my domain and I make the rules now!_

It latched a slimy appendage around one of his legs, causing him to fall flat on his face on the invisible floor.

Still ever the fighter Levon refuted, "N-No. This is my mind! I control it!"

_And yet you left a crack open for me to enter due to your rage. So let me thank you for being such an easy and idiotic pawn to control!_

"I'm nothmmmp!"

Another constricting tentacle wrapped around his muzzle to prevent him from saying anything that could possibly send it away.

"RRRRRRRRRRGH!" he growled out. In such a close proximity, the entity smelled like fish stew that had been left out in the hot summer sun for ten days combined with four month old collard greens. Needless to say it was **not** a pleasant aroma. _"GRAGH! This stuff smells disgusting! I don't remember it ever smelling like this! …Oh no. No! I can't let it get stronger!"_

"RRRN! GRRRRRR!" he struggled as he used his red crystalline covered claws to slash at the malevolent entity, but with each part he sliced off more of the noxious gunk took its place.

_ENOUGH! JUST GIVE UP! _It bellowed, annoyed with his continued resistance. _YOU CAN NOT DEFEAT ME! OUR MASTER WILL HAVE WHAT IT DESIRES! _

But Levon wouldn't relent as he continued to furiously slash at it.

Its raspy laugh echoed throughout the mental arena. _HAHAHAHAHAH!_ _Like a simple flick of the wrist can stop me!_

As soon as it uttered that phrase, something clicked inside of Levon's mind and the enemy sensed it.

"N-NNNNVIIII! GRAAAAA!" he cried as the sinister substance coiled tighter around his limbs and muzzle, giving the sensation of a rope burn. Hot, pain induced tears leaked out of his sockets, down his dirtied cheeks and onto the noxious bindings. Levon noticed little boiling bubbles from where his lacrimal essence made contact with the entity's flesh. _"It's…it's burning it? How?"_ he thought as he willed the river to continue to flow…which wasn't all that hard considering his muzzle felt like it was on fire.

However one crucial observation occupied the invader's mind, causing it to be too distracted to notice the damage being inflicted on its body.

…_Why can't I read your thoughts? No matter. I don't know what you're thinking nor do I care! It's futile! Nothing you do can stop me now! You're my **puppet** and you will usher in a new era of dominance over all lifeforms just like you're destined to!_

"**I beg to differ!"** another voice boomed, startling the vile intruder.

_W-Who said that? _

Like a tiny singular raindrop descending onto a still lake, a small ball of light descended onto to darkened battlefield. As soon as it made contact with the invisible floor, the inner sanctum of Levon's combined mind lit up like someone dropped an atomic bomb – there was only one "unfortunate" soul that was affected by the radioactive energy.

_GAAAAAAAAAAAH!_

The entity's ear piercing wails rang throughout the illuminated area as its form fizzled away, allowing Levon to finally be free of the burning bindings.

**GASP** He frantically breathed in and out as he checked over his body for injuries through his squinted eyes; thankfully there weren't any.

Soon the light became too intense for his pupils to handle and he had to use his hands shield his eyes from the luminous glow that the new being exuded. Eventually the harsh, white blaze died down, leaving in its wake a more familiar environment.

"…The…the hunting grounds" Levon realized when his thirsty eyes drank in the sight of freshly sprung green grass, crystal rock accents and the sporadic acacia trees. The only thing different was the pink sky enveloping the area…_like his bubble shield._

_Hiissssssss… _

A low hiss reminded Levon of the threat that was still present. He quickly looked down in front of him and beheld a glowing, grey mouse with ebony eyes and matching little whiskers that was no bigger than his thumb. Directly across from it was the malicious being that was now nothing more than frail, stomped-on black centipede-like creature with the hood, head and fangs of a cobra.

It glared at the puffy mouse with its four beady red eyes and in a hoarse voice spat, _Wh-where did y-you come from?! W-what are y-you?!_

"Same in essence, but vastly different intentions. **Words begot action**. The words of the gems enraged Levon, allowing you to seep in through the cracks of his shield. His plea for help allowed me to enter through the cracks of your own revolting barrier. …I see that nothing's changed. Your kind have remained the same…even after all these years. You come to control and destroy, holding the precious lives of innocent beings hostage by overwhelming them. All for **its** own gain. Well, I refuse to be blocked out again! I refuse to let its vicious tyranny continue to grow! **And I refuse to let any more harm come to my child!**" the mouse bellowed – shaking the entire landscape.

_Y-your c-child!? _

"**_My child?"_** Levon and centi-cobra concurrently thought.

"I will only say this once. Tell **Typhon** that its days are numbered. Now get out and **never** come back" the mouse threatened.

The centi-cobra scoffed and said, _I don't know how you know about our leader and_ _my brethren may have been beaten before, but we will never stop until our master gets the final piece of what it lost all those years ago! We are relentless! We are unstoppable! We are _

"ANNOYING!" Levon roared as he stepped over the fuzzy mouse slammed his claws into its body, effectively destroying it for good.

"I couldn't have said it better myself_"_ the mouse silently praised as it watched the toxic smoke fade away – its dying screams finally filtering out of the area.

Levon slowly lifted his claws out of the ground; sparkling rocks emerged and filled in the holes that he made. He looked over his tingling hand, examining it for any possible trace of the foul entity that could possibly lead to another harrowing episode.

"It's alright Levon. It's gone."

He turned around when the mouse assured him that he was safe. "…**N-Navi?**" he asked and the mouse nodded her head. A small, relieved grin crossed his muzzle before releasing a breathless laugh. Soon the terrible collection of events finally caught up with body as he flopped onto his back and laid on the naturally comfy carpet. He took a deep inhale and exhaled through his nostrils as he stared at the pink-tinted sky. After a while he closed his eyes and he remained that way for a couple of minutes as he tried to comprehend **everything** that just transpired.

"Levon"

"H-Huh?" The fusion slowly opened his eyes and saw Navi looking down at him. "…Guess I dozed off huh?" he sheepishly said.

"Understandably so" she replied as she got off of his forehead when he sat up. She faced him and spoke, "I can tell you have many concerns…questions…issues…however you want to phrase it."

"I guess having that thing inside of me was a giveaway huh?" he asked.

"Not only that, but look at the sky."

He did as he was told and saw that it was no longer clear. Three dark, bloated clouds of varying sizes obscured the natural light; now the only flickering flame that remained was her tiny body.

"It's…it's not back is it!?" he panicked.

"No no, it isn't. These clouds are your own anxieties. This is what the enemy uses to enter into your subconscious. Think of it like this. When something strikes the wrong chord with you, one of these clouds will erupt into a violent storm, causing you to become enraged and therefore-"

"Letting that gunk in" he solemnly finished.

"Exactly. Now it's time for a new front to sweep these clouds away. But we have to do it one at a time; it'll be easier that way. And I'll be here to help you now that there's nothing hindering me. And Levon…I'm so sorry I couldn't stop that thing from entering your mind"

"**Our mind**" he corrected.

"Huh?"

"You live here too right? So you're a part of me. And don't be sorry. I know it's hard to try and talk over somebody when they're screaming and yelling. You're quiet…_like a mouse_" he realized. "Is…is that what you really are?"

"No. I assumed this form to make a point – even the tiniest creature can cause the biggest enemy to fall. And you've done that on more than one occasion" she praised, but it didn't reach him.

"Then why couldn't I do it this time?" he asked as he adverted his gaze from her eyesight.

"Because **trust** is a recurring issue for you. It's like a wound that keeps opening up without having a chance to heal, making it bigger and bigger and thus making your reaction more volatile than the last. Now I may have seen and heard everything, but tell me in your own words what happened to make you feel so enraged" she said.

"I…I…" Levon sighed as he tried to formulate his words. His whole body started to quiver; he pressed his paws to his eyes trying to block the tears.

"Levon…it's okay. Like you said, when you're weak you're strong and when you're strong you're strong. The bravest thing anyone has to do is be honest with themselves. Why have emotions if you're not going to show them?" she asked.

He took his hands off of his puffy red eyes and sniffed up some mucus before it could drip out of his nose. "I-I was just so angry at them! I mean a giant cluster right underneath my feet?! And they wouldn't let me help!? Th-That's why I felt like they didn't trust me. No matter what I do…they still think they need to protect me. I-It makes me feel like I'm just a chain that ties them down…kinda like what Pitch did to Jasper. And I hate feeling like that all the time! Having to prove myself in their sight over and over!"

"Whose sight?" Navi interrupted.

"Garnet, Amethyst and **especially** Pearl! I just want it to stop but they keep doing stuff like this that makes me question them! I mean…they haven't done stuff like this recently and I found out that Pearl really does care for me, but just all the talk from before about how great mom was is still in me! It messes with my mind and makes me question my own value within the team! **Like voodoo pins**…" he realized.

He stared at his hands before his vision was obscured by a watery film. He clenched his hands into fists and slammed them down against the ground.

"GRAAAA!" he roared as he raked his claws through the supple grass blades, tearing some of them out by the roots.

"Levon…I know it's hard but you have to keep going" Navi instructed.

"Why should I?! **I'm a liar!** I can't even follow my own advice about not letting fear voodoo affect you!" he cried.

"…That's what we're doing now isn't it?" she asked and Levon stared at her with a raise eyebrow. "You recognized that you have pins in you and now you're taking them out. Levon, listen to me. Fear voodoo, as you so eloquently described, **affects everybody **– no matter the status or the species. How long it stays inside of you is your decision."

He still kept staring at her as he let her words sink in. He wiped his nose on his arm, took a deep breath and continued his point of view.

"A-And yet…**even** **mom had to go against her own doctrine.** She even said that she made mistakes; I could see it in her eyes when I talked to her. Yet they would still want that! She was just as inexperienced about Earth and other things as I am! Yet they gave her a pass! Why don't I get one!? I still think they expect me to be just like her and I can't! **And I don't want to!** **Mom doesn't want me to!** So when improve and show off my own powers, they still tie me down! I don't know what else to do!" he cried as more tears streamed down his face.

Navi was silent for a moment, absorbing every word that he spoke. She asked, "Do you want to hear what I think?" Levon slowly nodded his head as he wiped his eyes.

"What I saw were six gems **scared** out of their minds for your safety. Lest you forget, they did the exact same thing when Lapis' message was deciphered through the wailing stone about new gems coming to Earth. Also, **you **did the exact same thing just a few hours ago when you skewed the truth behind your creation to your father" she reminded.

Levon's ears drooped and he looked at the grass, repeatedly gripping and releasing the natural carpet without tearing any more of it out.

"Levon. For Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl you have rekindled a zeal for life within them…just like your mother hoped for. Because before, their lives consisted of fighting corrupted gems and keeping them safe inside of their bubbles; keeping them forever in stasis because they didn't know how to heal them. Soon they were going through the motions of life, but not really living. Sure they'd have a few encounters that would change their scenery so to speak, but then they went back to being well…**rocks**. Unmoving and unchanging."

"In the case of Lapis, Peridot and Jasper, you basically reshaped them into new rocks – which physically speaking takes a really long time. But you did it in a short amount of time because they were willing and ready to receive change. Like you discovered, **you are an experience** and as such all of them have become a new experience along with you and they are enjoying the ride. Through your eyes and actions, you have given all of them a fresh outlook on life. And they don't want it to end if they can help it. What you see as lack of trust all stems from fear, and as you have sagely said, fear has a way of sucking the common sense out of people. Instead of seeing your growth, all they see is the precious little boy that somehow made them into one cohesive unit – gave them love when all they've ever known is pain, hate and ostracization. **A precious little boy that they have to protect at all costs.** You are their **hope** Levon. If you die, then they'll "die" as well. Going back into that drudgery they called life. So Jasper wasn't too far off in her assessment of your importance, albeit a little to the extreme" she finished.

"…But…but we're all important" he said.

"That's true, but lately you're putting yourself down and your own feelings to the side to build them up. You're still living to please everybody instead of yourself. You wanted to train and be stronger for **them**, not for you. You put yourself in precarious situations because of them-"

"Because I care for them! They're my family!" he shouted.

"Then shouldn't a family give unconditional love without having you to do anything that'll end your life?" she asked and Levon became quiet.

"Levon, please don't misunderstand me. Your loyalty and compassion knows no bounds and I can tell that you thoroughly enjoy making others happy. But based on what you just told me…it seems like you've been doing these things with ulterior motives. Am I mistaken?" she asked.

Levon remained quiet and sniffed up some more mucus. Navi glanced up at the sky and the darkening clouds answered her question.

"I understand. For a long time…you've wanted to be seen in a good light in the eyes of Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. To gain their approval. To be viewed in an unbiased way just like what Lapis, Jasper and Peridot have done to you. And you became that when your abilities and insight into various instances developed exponentially. You believed in order to get the respect you wanted…the love you desired…you had to be the leader – taking on all of their burdens when you shouldn't have. Because in essence you became-"

"Their crutch…just like mom" Levon quietly said when that realization crossed his mind.

"…Exactly. Now Before Pearl's tirade…you've been offering them assistance because you loved them. Now while the love for them is still there, now it's a **defense mechanism** so you don't lose the ground you gained. You were trying to be accepted in their sight, but it led you to feeling more like an **_outcast_**! You shouldn't use your abilities as a bartering chip so to speak. Like when you would trade your Pocket monster cards with that boy Peedee when you were younger."

"You earn praise for good works, but love can never be earned. It is a free gift; it boggles my mind why someone would reject something that's free. But I digress. If love does have to be earned, then it might as well be considered **servitude**. You are not their servant! You are their little brother…well…depending on when you shapeshift or fuse anyway" she stated.

That got a few chuckles out of him.

"But like Rose said, they'll start walking on their own eventually, just like you will have to as well. That way you all can support each other equally" she finished.

"…Yea" he agreed.

"But know that they didn't mean to hurt you and that their intentions were good and genuine. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl have barely begun to move on from Rose so to speak, not to mention the countless comrades they've lost to either being permanently shattered because of the war, temporarily due to being a part of the cluster or lost to corruption. Losing you, their little ball of sunshine, would be too much for them to handle. Especially for Lapis, Peridot and Jasper; you're basically the only source of love they've ever experienced. I'm not exaggerating when I say that they would **never** recover. Not to mention Lion would be devastated as well, especially since his species are meant to live in prides – be social creatures even if he seems nonchalant most of the time."

"She's right about that" the Lion side of Levon spoke.

"And what of Connie and your father? Based on everything you went through, mentally and physically, the gems just couldn't take that chance of having you anywhere near a planet-sized fusion. Do you understand where I'm coming from?" Navi asked.

Levon was quiet for a few minutes as her argument sank in. "…I do. GAH! Why didn't I realize that earlier?!" he shouted as he rubbed his hands through his mane.

"The lack of trust you felt fed into your **self-doubt**. Until you met you mother…to you she became an **unobtainable title**. Being you wasn't enough – you had to be her. And for a brief moment…you did. But like she said before, "be yourself, everyone else is taken." You are a new creation full of new possibilities. And I want you to say it. Right here. **Right now.** It's time to awaken your own upendo and re-strengthen your confidence" she commanded.

Levon looked at the grass and muttered, "I…I am a new"

"Nuh uh" Navi said cutting him off. "You still don't believe it."

"You make it sound like it's supposed to be instantaneous! Well it's not!" he shouted back.

"I never said it was going to be. This right here, these words that are going to flow out of your mouth, I want them to be the first words written on Steven's pad of paper. And that goes for Lion as well. I don't care how long it takes, I want those words to ring like a cathedral bell celebrating your rebirth" she stated.

Levon took a deep breath and exhaled. He closed his eyes but still stuttered, "I-I am a new creation full of new p-possibilities."

"Again" she ordered and he kept repeating it over and over.

But after about the twentieth time he exasperated, "Navi! Why don't you believe it yet?!"

"Better question is why don't **you** believe it yet? There's no conviction in your voice because you still haven't repeated the words" she countered.

"What're you talking about?! I've said what you told me to say over and over and **over**!" he fumed.

"Right. You've repeated what **I've** said, but I want you to say it not how I would say it, but how **Steven** would say it. How **Lion** would say it. That's the only way it'll stick with you" she clarified.

"Why didn't you tell me that earlier!?" he shouted

"Think of it as training session Levon. Your mind is still weighed down with another pressing issue that needs to be addressed. This is my firm hand, which is saying something since I'm only the size of your thumb. But I digress again. The only way for those clouds to fully disappear is if you acknowledge it, confront it and **learn** from it. I can only help you so much" she replied.

"How am I supposed to confront it if I don't even know what it is?" he asked.

"Levon, we are in your mind. _Our mind_. Even if you don't talk, the surroundings will speak volumes on your behalf" Navi indicated as she noticed the rapidly dilapidating surroundings. The sky was nearly as black as the night sky. The blades of grass hung limp – forming lifeless candy canes, and crinkled leaves were falling off of the acacia tress in droves.

"We've addressed the lack of trust that fed into your self-doubt, but there's still one more thing that's eating away at you and I don't want to make any assumptions. I'd rather hear it from the lion's mouth."

"I…I…I don't-"

"**Yes you do know!**" she shouted cutting him off.

In that instance he knew **_exactly_ **how Amethyst felt…talk about walking a mile in another person's shoes.

"What is the one thing you fear above all else? You used your newfound abilities as a bartering chip so you wouldn't lose their "love". It hurts when you feel they still don't acknowledge the **true you** which diminishes your confidence which result in…" Navi rolled her little wrist egging Levon on, but the dam wouldn't break.

"I-I don't want to feel bad! It's going to hurt!" he choked out.

"Holding onto those little pins will give that slimy thing an entrance to take over and hurt you again. You don't want that do you?" she asked.

"N-No" Levon said shaking his head.

"Steven. Lion. You need peace of mind. You gave it to Mo. You gave it to Curly. You just gave it to Amethyst. Now give it to yourselves because in the end…the only one you can control is yourself. Others can try but just like that annoying monster, it'll get squashed" Navi stated before she ran up his leg and sat on his kneecap. "I know you can do it. **I believe in you**" she assured as rubbed her tiny paw on top of his knee.

A sudden zephyr blew through the area, almost as if it were a silent plea for him to let it go as well. Physically speaking though all it did was cause his mane to shadow his eyes. The wind didn't stop but this time a tune floated along the invisible stream.

"_Whistling?"_ Navi thought before she realized that the melancholy note came from the fusion.

Once the air ran out of his lungs…or so he imagined…a bright light engulfed them. She quickly hopped off of the dissolving body and beheld the scarred boy and the equally weary confidant. Even so, with his exhausted strength Lion began to tap on the firm floor beneath him to create a simple beat. After a few steps, Navi felt something hit the top of her puffy head.

"…_Rain"_ she realized as the few sprinkles turned into a steady drizzle. "_They're doing it…in their own way!" _she smiled as the refreshing down pour continued to drench her luminous fur.

With words formulating within the subconscious of his mind, the mental arena conjured up the signature rose-decorated guitar right in Steven's hands; perfectly tuned and ready to play – which is exactly what he did. Just like synchronized twins, Steven began strumming along with the percussion rhythm that Lion provided, letting his raw emotions echo throughout the recovering land:

* * *

_I was wandering in the rain  
Mask of life, feelin' insane  
Swift and sudden fall from grace  
Sunny days seem far away  
Slimy shadows belittlin' me  
Typhon's tomb won't let me be  
On and on and on it came  
Wish the rain would just let me_

_How does it feel (How does it feel)  
How does it feel  
How does it feel  
When you're alone  
And you're cold inside_

* * *

As soon Steven sang the last two lines of the chorus, a huge lightning bolt shot through the sky, followed by a deafening boom. It startled to the duo for a brief moment, with Steven clutching onto his handmade gift a little tighter for comfort.

"Keep going" Navi gently whispered.

The distraught boy tried to gather his thoughts to remember the rest of lyrics, but the pain caused by his ultimate worry gnawed at his core.

Lion took the initiative and restarted the beat, but this time he laid against him – offering any support he could. After all...you can't fight the instinctive big bro code.

With his eyes still closed, Steven inhaled and exhaled before moving onto the next stanza:

* * *

_Here abandoned in her fame  
Armageddon of the brain  
Crystal gems were doggin' me  
Take **her** name and just let me be  
Then a little voice called my name  
Happy days will drown the pain  
On and on and on it came  
And again, and again, and again  
Give me **my** name and just let me be  
_  
_How does it feel (How does it feel)  
How does it feel  
How does it feel  
How does it feel  
How does it feel (How does it feel now)  
How does it feel  
How does it feel  
When you're alone  
And you're cold inside_

* * *

The steady rain transformed into a forceful squall with rain drops that resembled more like multiple water balloon explosions. However…the brothers weren't phased by the violent turn of the storm. The serene musical interlude was carried along the high speed winds, slowly but surely breaking up the obscuring clouds.

Navi smiled at the courage the duo displayed. _"_You're almost there_"_ she whispered as the song moved into its final and most important verses:

* * *

_How does it feel (How does it feel) _  
_How does it feel_  
_How does it feel_  
_How does it feel_  
_How does it feel (How does it feel now) _  
_How does it feel_  
_How does it feel_  
_When you're alone_  
_And you're cold inside_

_Like stranger in Home World_  
_Like stranger in Home World_

_We're talkin' danger_  
_We're talkin' danger, Lion _  
_Like stranger in Home World _

_We're talkin' danger_

_We're talkin' danger, Lion_

_Like stranger in Home World_  
**_I'm livin' lonely  
I'm livin' lonely, Navi_**  
_Stranger in Home World_

* * *

Drops of water slid down the boy's face as the torrential downpour ended, leaving a light mist covering the savanna; the remaining notes along the wind carried the delicate haze away.

However…it wasn't rain that fueled those rivers flowing down Steven's cheeks; his hiccups signaled that.

But Navi smiled none the less. Those drops signified that he conquered his toughest challenge and now those gaping wounds could finally heal. The clouds started to dissipate, letting the pink sky emerge once again.

The drenched mouse approached the crying boy, attached herself to his equally drenched leg and congratulated, "_You did it. You two did it! **And you will never be alone nor feel alone Steven.** I'm here with you. Lion is here with you." _

She glanced up and saw a medley of colors decorate the unblemished sky. "_And the gems are here with you too."_

* * *

**All right, even I needed tissues for this and I wrote it! This isn't the finale of "One one One" per say...just think of it as the first half of a thirty minute episode. The next part should be up by Saturday or Sunday. I just figured reading over 20,000 words in one sitting would be a bit much, so I split it up.**

**I kinda based this off of ******Aesop**'s tale where the mouse helps the Lion. When my little sister had me read it to her for kindergarten it just clicked. Funny how things work out.**

**Man...those two lines in the song, "_Here abandoned in her fame" _and "_Take __her__ name and just let me be"_ just really got to me. Here he is literally having to carry the mantle he inherited and in the process lost...or didn't even have a chance to develop...his own identity. And if he became his own gem/person...would the others accept it or leave him? At least that's what I gathered from watching episodes like "Bismuth" and "Earthlings".**

**And I swear I'm not a mind reader...but I can say that I'm more than a little surprised by how close this story is to canon even before the episodes air. The spike shield...the possibility of a healing song. But instead of butterflies I have misshapen black creatures that finally have an identity. Or at least a leader. Who is Typhon and how does Navi know about it? Another mystery to unravel as "A Leader's Call" continues...if you guys want it to. If you look up Typhon, the appearance totally makes sense.**

**I don't own Steven Universe nor Michael Jackson's music catalogue. Just my imaginative capabilities.**


	41. Chapter 41

**During the big emotional reveal with Steven, listen to "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera if you want to.  
**

* * *

**Meanwhile…Back in the physical realm of the temple…**

No one moved a muscle…no one ever dared to breathe. The potentially explosive sight before them made them as inert as the gems on their light generated bodies.

The once raging fusion was frozen in place like a statue – with a carved-on snarling countenance to further illustrate the ferocity he still possessed. He towered over the other fusion in front of him with his red, crystalline claws within mere millimeters of her cube-shaped afro.

Thankfully he was restrained by Rudy…although his leaves wilted due to the sheer sadness at the act he had to commit. He was hoping against all odds that his friend would snap out of it. However, when it became clear that his intent was to maul and maim everything in his corrupted sight, he knew he had to plant himself in the floorboards and wrap his body around his like a giant boa constrictor. He had a firm hold on his arms as well as his upper body.

His deep and agitated breathing was the only melody that rang throughout the damaged house.

"G…Garnet. M-M-Move." Pearl tentatively called out, praying against all odds that the added sounds wouldn't cause him to snap out of his trance and redirect his frenzied rage towards them…even though in the back of her mind she knew she deserved it.

But the crystal leader remained motionless. All three of her eyes were leaking as she stared at his green-slit irises, noticing the subtle transformation. The purple haze fizzled away and a glowing, white light caused his pupils to disappear. His body started to shake and a loud growl seeped through his fangs, causing the rest of the gems to flinch and huddle closer together.

Slowly the majority of his facial muscles began to relax, but the muscles controlling his muzzle would still twitch at random intervals. His blazing, blank eyes would close then open half way while his head would shake a little from side to side, as if he was saying "no" to something.

"_Levon…" _Garnet whispered as she continued to watch the physical manifestation of his mental battle. That's when she noticed that a little gap opened between his teeth and a few soul crushing words escaped out of his vocal chords.

"Want…just like…her!** I'm not…her**…she got pass…where…mine?!" he painfully whispered.

Additional drops of water stained the floor, combining with the puddle that Garnet created with her own shed tears. They cascaded down his cheeks with no intent of stopping.

"He…He still thinks we want Rose!" she realized as she held her hand Sapphire-embedded hand to her mouth.

* * *

"_Why…why did it have to end up like this?!" _

"_We wanted to protect him, we didn't see-" _

"_We should've seen it! I can't believe I punched him!" _

"_We had no choice…he would've continued to hurt Peridot and he would've gone a rampage." _

"_He did anyway! __Why though?! Why didn't we didn't see any of this!? Out of all the stuff that could've hurt him why did it have to be another dark transformation caused by __**us**__?!" _

"_The future changes. You of all gems know that." _

"_Not like this! This just came out of nowhere! Did…did we block it out because we were scared? Did we just keep pushing it aside until it got too big to ignore?" _

"…"

"_We did…didn't we?"_

* * *

More tears spilled out of Garnet's blue eye when that internal conversation reached a horrible conclusion.

* * *

"_Sapphire, no! It's not your fault! I could've prevented it too!" _

"_Yes it is! I-I should've been more focused instead of letting my emotions take control!" _

"_What's the point of having emotions if you don't use'em or show'em?" _

"_I-I didn't…I just didn't want to see any possibility-" _

"_And that's okay! Bad stuff sucks! That's why we work hard to make sure it doesn't happen!" _

"_But it did! This is on the same level as what our berserker mode did to him…I-I can't see what'll happen now!"_

"_Then we'll make what __**we**__ want to happen! And that's for him to feel better!"_

* * *

"GARNET!" Pearl's high pitched voice snapped her out of her meditative conversation when Levon's claw was in her hair now.

But…he wasn't attacking – just squeezing a clump of it a couple of times before releasing it.

He let his arm slip back down to his side. Rudy loosened the grip on his arm when he didn't feel any resistance but still kept his guard up.

Suddenly his head hung limp, letting his curly mane shade his eyes.

"Wh-What's wrong now? He's not preparing for another attack is he?!" Peridot asked.

Unfortunately her rising panic levels almost made her shoot through the roof when semi-comatose fusion reared his head back and let out a high pitched howl. That forlorn note pierced the illusionary hearts of everyone in attendance, stunning them into a saddened silence.

"Do you feel that?" Lapis asked as she held her hands to her chest. "**He's hurting.**"

Rudy immediately got his body out of the floorboards and wrapped himself around his waist to provide some semblance of comfort for his best buddy.

"GRAH!" Jasper grunted as she punched a hole in the stone floor; thankfully she missed the warp pad. "We're just here sitting on our butts while he's going through that?! What kind of gems…no. What kind of **family** are we?!" she angrily asked.

"WE KNOW! You don't think we're frustrated too!? But what can we do!?" Pearl cried.

"SHH!" Garnet shushed them. "H-He's saying something."

The rest of the gems heeded her command and tuned their head holes into whatever words were formulating within his vocal chords.

"He's…he's singing" Lapis realized as she tentatively sat up and walked closer to him. The rest of the gems looked at each other and mustered up the courage to follow her lead. Although it was quiet and subdued, his sorrow filled words blared like a fire-engine's siren – announcing to everyone the deepest, most-concealed secret of his subconscious:

* * *

_I…wandering in the rain  
Mask of life, feelin' insane  
Swift…fall from grace  
Sunny days seem far away…_

_How does it feel__  
When you're alone  
And you're cold inside_

_Here abandoned in her fame  
Armageddon of the brain  
Crystal gems…doggin' me  
Take __**her**__ name and just let me be…  
On…it came  
Again, and again, and again  
Give me __**my**__ name…let me be_

_How does it feel_  
_How does it feel_  
_When you're alone_  
_And you're cold inside_

* * *

Levon became quiet after the second repeat of the chorus. Although it was choppy and out of tune by his standards, the impact was still felt to some degree. Everyone except Jasper and Peridot had tears in their eyes. The former clenched her fists and ground her teeth together while the latter looked at him with confused, raised eyebrow.

"He's…_**lonely**_? But how? He has all of us" Peridot asked.

Before anyone could answer her question, Levon suddenly sang in the loudest voice he could muster in his unbalanced state of mind:

* * *

_How does it feel_  
_How does it feel_  
_When you're alone_  
_And you're cold inside_

_Like stranger in Home World_  
_We're talkin' danger_  
_We're talkin' danger, Lion_  
_Like stranger in Home World_  
_**I'm livin' lonely  
I'm livin' lonely, Navi**_  
_Stranger in Home World_

* * *

The final comprehensible note faded off before subdued sobbing and incoherent growls took its place.

"…All this time. All this time!" Garnet gritted out as she clenched her fists. "He still felt inadequate to Rose! And it was our fault!"

"What?! Speak for yourself! We didn't-"

"I didn't mean you three! In fact…you're the ones who set the example Pearl, Amethyst and I should've followed. Should've done in the first place…" Garnet corrected before Jasper could get into her rant.

"All the stories…all the accolades…the **perfect** way we presented Rose…not once did we think that that could have an adverse effect on him" she realized.

"B-But we were just trying to preserve her legacy" Pearl pointed out.

"Steven **IS** her legacy!" Garnet refuted. "He was her gift to Greg…to us…to the whole planet. We accepted it but we sure as gravel didn't take care of him! Even when she spelled it out as plain as day that she'd be okay, we still unfairly compared them. We failed to tell him the whole story about who she was. **She wasn't perfect**. She made mistakes. But did that make her any less of a gem? Does that make Steven any less of the _experience_ he is?!"

"Of course not!" Peridot shouted. "Sure everything on this planet I've experienced so far is about as wild of a ride as a malfunctioning speed pattern transportation circuit, but I wouldn't have it any other way! It just feels…**real**" she tried to articulate but everyone got the message.

"But we weren't real with him. Consciously or not, we tried to have him live up to this unrealistic standard instead of letting him walk his own Steve-ly path…just like how home world determines the purpose of each gem. And we all know what happens to gems that fail to meet their specific standard" Garnet lamented.

"They're abandoned…or worse" Lapis bitterly said.

Pearl's eyes went wide as water swirled around in her teal pupils. "_This…this is just what Rose warned about in her letter! **Silent condemnation.** But I didn't mean…I couldn't hate… __**but I did**__. And he sensed it…even before my tirade_. _W-was I that obvious? Was I really that selfish!? Why couldn't I get over my grief!? Why did I even grieve? She never left! How could I have been so…so…"_ she couldn't even come with the right word to describe herself for her malicious conduct towards the innocent boy. She just knew she so wrong there was no way to turn right.

"That was his greatest fear…**that we would leave him**. To have him be all alone for just being him" Garnet sadly realized.

"That's **absolute cruelty**!" Lapis angrily retorted, knowing the feeling all too well.

"That's why he kept going past his limits…that's why he carried our burdens…that's why…that's why" she repeated over and over as absolute regret coursed through her veins. "Gems...I really hate to say it…but I think** his fountain finally ran dry"** Garnet sobbed as she wiped futilely at her eyes.

"**No." **

Everyone turned their attention to an equally puffy-eyed Pearl. "He's not going to feel like this anymore and we're not going to beat ourselves over this anymore either! And I know no matter how many times I apologize…it'll never be enough. The time for talk is over, it's time for action!" she miraculously got out.

"You got that right!" Jasper agreed as she barreled her way to the sobbing feline fusion and wrapped him up in the biggest embrace she's ever given. "Levon…it's okay! Your tiger teacher is here! I'll never leave you, my little cub!" she consoled as a dull orange light came out of her stone.

"Me too Levon!" Lapis said as she flew up and landed on top of his head. "I'm here! I'll always be here no matter what!" she cried as she stroked his curly mane.

"STEVEN! LION!" Pearl and Garnet said simultaneously as they joined Jasper and wrapped their arms around his scarred midsection – dampening his fur further with their apologetic tears.

But Peridot hung back with her eyes closed. "_His…his fountain dried up? All because of that thing?!_" Once that realization passed through her mind, her eyes shot open but they were furrowed down in extreme rage; so much so that little lightning bolts appeared in her pupils. She pointed one of her floating digits right at him and yelled, "HEY YOU STUPID SMOKE BASED CLODDY PIECE OF SHEET ROCK! GET OUT OF LEVON NOW! COME ON! GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT!"

She formed her blaster, ready to send that slimy creature into the deepest black hole in the cosmos. "I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN! GET OUT OF HIM NOW! STEVEN AND LION HAVE A FAMILY THAT'LL GROWN AND LEARN ALONGSIDE THEM AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU MESS THAT UP! I'M NOT AFRAID! I'LL BLAST YOU INTO SHARDS!" With that declaration, her gem started to shine with a fluorescent green glow.

"She's right Levon! Don't give into stinkin' thinkin'! You're a billion times better than Little Robbie!" Lapis cheered as her gemstone burned with a blue light.

"Steven…I know we screwed up. You kept on going in spite of our conduct. Please…just keep on going a little more so we can start over and do things right" Pearl pleaded as a subtle white light began emanating from her gem too.

"Steven…I'm sorry we limited you and forced you into a predetermined destiny" Garnet whispered as a red light manifested out of both of her hands.

Never one to articulate all that feeling stuff, Jasper merely hugged him tighter but also made sure not to hurt him in any way as her glow increased.

Soon Levon's gasping sobs quieted down to mere hiccups.

"Don't let go gems! Not until he's back!" Garnet commanded.

"Don't have to tell us twice!" Jasper replied.

However they wouldn't be able to keep that order.

* * *

A deep growl replaced the sporadic hiccups and the whites of his eyes got brighter. A flash of color-coordinating lights blazed out of his gemstones and that immense surge of energy pushed all of them back.

Garnet landed up against the scarred bar counter, Pearl fell onto the shredded couch while Jasper and Peridot fell back first onto the gash ridden floor. Thankfully Lapis was able to hover in time before she was pushed into the ceiling beams.

"RRROOOOOOOOAAAR!" The powerful blast from his vocals chords shook the whole house and possibly the whole cliff side. Every single muscle fiber in his body appeared as though they were bulking up, being fueled by his own gemstones as a faint red aura surrounded him.

"N-No…GARNET!" Pearl cried out and Garnet commanded, "Get ready! It's coming out!"

Everyone quickly got back on their feet and summoned their weapons, ready to beat the vile entity to a pulp.

"GrrrrrrRRRRRRRROOOOOOOAR!" he roared again, this time the sheer strength of his yell actually pushed them back.

"GET OUT OF HIM ALREADY!" Peridot shouted as she aimed right above his head.

His eyes narrowed and he continued to growl while baring his razor sharp fangs. Suddenly he closed his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his body as if he was about to block a punch. As this point the orbs on the backs of his hands could've been mistaken for emergency flares due to how bright they were. He took a deep breath and quickly brought his arms back along the sides of his body and roared intelligible words. **"I AM ME!"**

"Wh-What?!" Peridot asked.

"You didn't get that!?" Jasper asked.

"I understood what he-"

"I AM ME!" he roared again interrupting her.

"I got the message!" she finally finished. "But why is he saying that?! What's going on!?"

"Weapons down, now!" Garnet commanded as she made her gauntlets disappear.

"What?! Why? He's-"

"Okay. He's okay. He's okay…he's okay" Garnet interrupted Peridot as another roar erupted out of his mouth.

"He's...he's letting us know who he is!" Lapis realized when she recalled she did the same thing once she was freed from the mirror.

Garnet nodded her head as more tears sprung from her sockets. "Th-This is his declaration of independence. This is what he's been striving for all this time. **He's found his roar. **He's breaking the chains that were keeping him down all this time…chains that we know all too well. Preset abilities...social status…things that we broke free from once we rebelled against home world all those years ago. Unfortunately…those limiting chains were mistakenly placed upon him too. _…I really am a hypocrite._ Well not anymore! This is his moment of true self-discovery and we need to show him respect!" she choked out as she stood tall in attention as if she was in the presence of a diamond…which in essence she was.

Everyone followed her lead and stood in front of the powerful fusion as he continued to roar. "I'M NOT AFRAID! I AM STEVEN/LION QUARTZ UNIVERSE AND I'M PROUD OF WHO I AM!" he yelled and that struck a chord with everybody.

The never-ending tears streamed down their faces and one gem added her voice to the declaration. "I'M LAPIS LAZULI AND I'M NOT A PRISONER! I AM PROUD OF WHO I AM!" Lapis cried out as her gem blazed with an equally intense light.

"I AM JASPER! I'M A TIGER MENTOR, NOT A REJECT! I AM PROUD OF WHO I AM!" Jasper declared as an orange light erupted out of her gem.

"I AM THE GREAT AND LOVABLE PERIDOT, ENDOWED WITH MANY ENDEARING NICKNAMES! I'M A CYBORG AND I'M PROUD OF THAT!" the young green gem shouted as her own glow intensified.

"I AM GARNET! I AM NOT A MONSTER! I AM MADE OF LOVE AND I'M PROUD OF WHO I AM!" she exclaimed as she held her palms up to let her own light shine.

Pearl rung her sash in her hands when she witnessed the courage that everyone displayed as they confessed their true selves for the heavens to hear and that they were proud of what they were.

**_But what was she?_ **A hurtful, selfish, spite-driven drone towards her little brother…who didn't even remotely come close to having a mean bone in his body. How could she proud of that? Be proud of her heritage that was still a secret to him? Pearl closed her eyes and shuddered as more tears decorated the floor. "_I-I…can't"_

"RRRRRROOOOOOOOOAR!" Another roared blasted through his raw throat, causing him to cough for a brief moment.

Pearl's motherly instincts caused her to immediately open her eyes. Once she did, she saw him stare right at her, causing her to shrink under his gaze. She grabbed her sash tighter and looked at the ground.

"GRRRRROAAAAAAAR" he roared again - this time raising it another decibel, but more coughing ensued afterward.

Pearl looked at him when a strained growl flowed out of his lips. In that moment it was just her and him – everyone else was in their own trance. He bared his fangs at her and she felt her knees start to buckle. "S-Steven…L-Lion…I'm…I-" she meekly repeated like a broken record. She could've sworn his eyes narrowed at her. Then he closed them and took a deep breath.

He reared his head back and "RRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR"

The reverberations shook her entire frame and the message he was trying to convey finally pierced her thick gem.

"_Yes you can! C'mon, show everyone what you've shown me before! That you're strong Pearl! Strong in the real way!"_

Whether it was real or imagined it didn't matter in that moment. The power and confidence Levon exuded transferred into her own being, finally powering her own declaration.

"I…I made mistakes…**horrible mistakes**. B-But I won't let those define me! I'LL GROW AND LEARN! I'M MY OWN GEM! I AM PEARL AND I'M PROUD OF THAT!" she yelled before her own white light mixed in with the rest of the magnificent aurora.

"I AM A CRYSTAL GEM! I AM A KING! I AM A BROTHER! I AM A CUB! I AM STEVEN/ LION QUARTZ UNIVERSE AND I **LOVE** WHO I AM!"

With that last list of favorable labels, all the lights swirled around him before combining into one brilliant ball of light that rose into the air. Suddenly it split into two separate orbs, becoming the recognizable forms they knew and cherished.

"CATCH'EM!" Garnet commanded.

Lapis and Pearl quickly got under the glowing boy while Jasper and Garnet got under the massive confidant; ever the scientific mind Peridot brought out her holo-pad to record the phenomenon while simultaneously keeping her blaster engaged in case there was any residual mind gunk.

Soon the shapes of light fully fleshed out into their bodies, nestling comfortably within the arms of their family.

Lapis moved some of the hair out of his eyes and got a good look at the serene countenance Steven exuded. "He's sleeping…and smiling" she smiled.

"Yes…but the scars are still there" Pearl noticed through his tattered tank top that could've been a dust rag at this point.

"Scars will remain, but soon they will fade away once the lesson is learned" Garnet cryptically spoke and everyone got the message.

"Garnet? Where are we going to lay them down?" Jasper asked as she helped her hold the gargantuan cat.

Everyone looked around the damaged area. Chunks of splintered wood littered the floor as well as other haphazard items from whatever Steven had stored on his shelves.

"At least his upstairs room is still intact" Peridot pointed out.

"True…but how are we all going to lay down with them?" Jasper asked.

"She's right. I…I want to hold Steven. To protect him like he did for us when we were recovering inside of our gems" Pearl added as she looked down at the boy Lapis cradled in her arms.

"What if we brought the bed into the temple? They can stay in my room" Jasper offered.

"…No" answered Garnet.

"Why not?" Jasper asked, slightly offended.

"**Amethyst**. I know her mind is swirling with all kinds of emotions right now…and I'm sure a few of them aren't all that pleasant. Steven just conquered the biggest hurdle of his young life; I wouldn't want him in another environment where he can possibly absorb more negative feelings. Although knowing him he wouldn't give it a second thought – that's just how loving and compassionate he is…regardless of what's going on around him. Not to mention if Amethyst found out that he fought on her behalf again and risked his life…that could send her spiraling down even further. She **needs** her space. She wants to sort it out on her own first. At least Levon gave her a good foundation before the other Amethyst cheated in the fight" she explained.

"…That's true" Pearl agreed before glancing at the temple door.

"Hmmmm…how about we set up a couple of those quilts outside on the grass. Before I…well…enacted my "_help Peridot_" plan, he did say he wanted to sleep outside under the stars" Jasper remembered.

"That's a great idea! We just have to put some actual clothes on him and get a fire started so he stays warm" Pearl listed.

"Indeed. Waking up to a favorable sight instead of…this" Peridot gestured to the ruined room. "Sounds very pleasant. And for the record, while the plan was...unorthodox, I am grateful for the help I've received." Jasper showed her a small smile and nodded her head.

"Then it's decided. Pearl and Lapis, you two get him dressed. Jasper, can you hold Lion by yourself for a bit?" Garnet asked.

"You know it" she confidently assured as she carefully slung him over her shoulders as if she was about to finish an Olympic lift.

"Peridot, can you set up the blankets on the little cliff below house please?" she asked the green gem.

"Affirmative" she saluted.

"Hmmmm…" Garnet hummed as she eyed the destroyed the living room table.

"Garnet? What're you thinking about?" Pearl asked.

"Just thinking about recycling" she replied as she summoned another pair of sunglasses. "But let's get them out of here" and everyone curtly nodded at the order.

Pearl found his set of blue/white striped pajamas and a clean pair of underwear while Rudy slithered onto the bed so Lapis could use her water powers to gently clean him off. Jasper took Lion outside and Peridot followed suit with three quilts with patterns ranging from stars to dinosaurs to even cookie cats within her tractor beam.

Once he was dressed and his plant armor was around his waist once more, Pearl was about to pick him up until Garnet said, "Pearl…I'll need you for something more important" as she looked around the room. Pearl followed her sight of vision and sighed before nodded her head. Garnet gave the nod to Lapis and she grabbed him, a pillow and went through the demolished door to the grassy alcove.

"I think it's time we cleaned up the mess we caused" Garnet said and Pearl hummed in agreement. She summoned her gauntlets and rapidly chopped up the remaining chunks of the living room table.

"Garnet! What're you doing?!" Pearl demanded.

"I told you I was thinking of recycling" she responded. "Now we have some fire wood. Besides, that table was irreparable."

"…That's not the only thing" Pearl added as she picked up a piece of the shredded remains of Rose's portrait. She gazed at a piece that had the painted closed eyes of her former leader…confidant…liberator…and so much more on a **personal** level.

Garnet kneeled down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "…We may have lost the being…but not the feeling. And in her place we gained so much more" she spoke. "We've all made foolish decisions and those decisions had _naturally_ _**bad**_ consequences. But now we have a clean slate…if he gives us that opportunity."

"A-And if he doesn't?" Pearl nervously asked.

Garnet was quiet for a moment while she contemplated her answer. "**That's irrelevant**. Even if he doesn't want to see our faces ever again, I will never stop protecting him because my love for him will be unconditional and never-ending" she stated.

Pearl nodded before looking back down at the rest of the ruined picture. "…Rose, I will _never_ forget you and your memory will always live within me. But…I have to let go. _I need to let go._ The past and the present can't exist in the name place. I can now say without any regrets that Steven **is** important to me. Just like he has more than enough love for us, I can show the same by having both of you in my heart, as well as the rest of new family" she declared as she let the piece of canvas fall to the floor. She released a long exhale and stood up without any trembles in her construct.

"I'm proud of you" Garnet smiled.

"…Thanks Garnet. I-I just wish it hadn't taken so long" she lamented.

"Better late than never. Seems like we all needed to confront some things, but we'll take it step by step" she replied.

"Mm-hm" Pearl hummed as she wiped a couple of stray tears away.

"C'mon…this place will need at least three Pearlnados to get it back to normal" Garnet joked and Pearl let out a small chuckle.

"I'm on it" she replied as she got to work like the busy cleaning bee she was.

Garnet shape shifted her fingers so that they were long and stretchy and grabbed the firewood. Before she could step through the entry way Pearl said, "Don't forget that" pointing the shredded canvas on the floor.

"…You sure?" Garnet asked.

"I'm sure. Besides…I think we need a new portrait to **truly** illustrate the gem she was" she responded.

Garnet smiled and said, "I'm sure Greg can make that happen."

"_Greg…" _she thought.

"One step at a time Pearl" Garnet stated as if she sensed her thoughts, which could've been a possibility given her ability. "But Steven will need to stay with him while we repair the damage."

"R-Right…of course" she agreed as she got back to her speed cleaning.

Garnet walked down the steps, feeling the crisp ocean air tingle her illusionary skin. "How are they?" she asked as she approached them. Lion was laying down like a fur rug behind them while they had their eyes glued to their young ward.

"They're fine. I wonder how long it'll be before they wake up" Lapis replied as she stroked Steven's hair.

"I don't' know. But we'll need to take him over to Greg so he has a safe place to stay while we repair his room. He can't stay outside in the elements" she replied.

"He can have a safe place to stay! I can use my digits to create an impenetrable barrier around us" Peridot proudly declared.

"And how long will you be able to sustain it? You already have one barrier surrounding our building site" Garnet questioned.

"Ah…um…" she stuttered; she never really pushed herself that hard.

"It's okay Peridot and thank you for offering, but I know that Greg has to be worried about his son. Hopefully his heart is still beating. Not to mention we need to come clean with him about everything that transpired…including **Dark Stevonnie**" she stated.

Jasper gulped when she said that.

"Whatever consequences come, we need to be prepared for them. He put his our safety in our hands…_albeit not without reservations._ The least we can do is be honest with him. He's a parent…hopefully he'll understand that raising the first of his kind is all about trial and error" Garnet spoke when she sensed Jasper's rising anxiety.

"…Hopefully" Jasper repeated.

Garnet set the kindling down next to the group and jumped down the little cliff to the sand below. She dug a deep hole using her massive hands. "That should be good" she said to herself as she dusted the sand grains off of her body. She hopped back up to the campsite, grabbed the fire-making material, brought it down to the hole and organized the pieces in a way so it resembled a teepee.

"_Perfect_" she thought as she shape-shifted her hands back to normal size. "HRN!" she grunted as she released a small stream of electricity, igniting the triangular-shaped tower of wood. The canvas immediately burned away to ash; the charred remains fluttered away along the salty sea breeze. She released a short exhale and jumped back up to accompany the rest of her family.

"How does that feel? There's not too much smoke is there?" she asked.

"No, this is nice! It's almost like one of the heated pools in my room" Lapis explained.

"Indeed. This should be quite sufficient in keeping their internal body temperatures balanced" Peridot added as she scanned their energy signatures.

"Alright. Continue keeping an eye on them. I'm going back up to help Pearl clean."

"No need" Pearl announced as she descended down the stairs.

"…Heh. I guess I shouldn't be surprised" Garnet chuckled when she joined them.

She blushed and replied, "Well…y'know…it doesn't hurt to have five holo-Pearls helping you."

"I suppose not. Thank you for doing that" she acknowledged. Garnet sat next Jasper while Pearl squeezed in between Lapis and Peridot. The lapping waves combined with the soft snores of the brothers surprisingly created a serene soundtrack. Numerous stars dotted the inky blue sky, but a pair of clusters particularly stood out among the masses.

"You can see home world's galaxy from here" Garnet commented and everyone looked up.

"You're right" Peridot confirmed.

"…A threat so far yet so close at the same time" Pearl added.

"A little **too** close for comfort" Lapis commented.

"…Indeed. Now granted there's only one Pitch Black, but there are plenty of other gems like that Amethyst. But hey, we beat them! And Pitch was one of the strongest gems ever made after the diamonds themselves! So by that logic we can beat anybody!" Peridot confidently said.

"I didn't mean the battles. I meant **him**" she clarified.

"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Even though the three of us have known him for only a few weeks…to think he actually felt like just another insignificant gem in his own home for so long is just…just…I don't even know how to describe it. **And yet he still had a smile on his face**. He experienced his darkest hour and deepest despair constantly. Not only his, **but all of ours**. I…I could never have that much strength in the face of such adversity" she explained as she clutched him a little tighter.

"Well…he is an impossibility. And a remarkable one at that. In addition, he kept his promise to never stop loving and forgiving us. He truly is a **noble gem**. All those Morganites and Apatites could learn a thing or two from him" Jasper complimented as she touched his cheek and everyone nodded at that.

"Lapis? M-may I?" Pearl asked as she held her trembling arms out. The blue gem complied and handed the sleeping boy over to her. She stared at him for a moment before giving him a kiss on the forehead. She wasn't going to say anything…she already made enough unfulfilled promises. She was going to be there for him, he would never let him part for now she **finally** made room for him in her heart. And it was the **real deal**…nothing forced just for the sake of another. Good times were going to come out this; she'd make sure of that.

"Heh."

"Huh? What are you laughing at?" Peridot asked when she heard Garnet chuckle.

"See that group of stars right there?" she pointed out as she connected the luminous dots.

"Yea?"

"That's the constellation Leo. **The Lion**. And there's its mouth…right next to home world" she explained.

"…Oh! Heheheh. Guess this is a good sign for us huh?" Jasper caught on.

"I'll take it" Lapis smiled.

"Me too. _But I'd rather not have him fight anytime soon_" Pearl silently added as she rocked him.

"Mmmmm…" he moaned due to the motion and he curled into her body.

Thankfully the battle both physically and mentally were over. Now it was time for him to claim his rewards, no matter how cryptic the answers were.

* * *

"_H-Hey Navi? Thanks for…well…everything"_

"_Steven, I didn't do anything. You're the one who confronted your biggest fear and defeated with your powerful declaration. Not a bad way to start writing your own story if I do say so myself. Big and Bold! You can't beat that combination!"_

"_Heheheh! Yea I guess so."_

"_Now you know this isn't over. You need to tell gems how you felt so they can understand where you're coming from. Only then will __**you**__ be understood. After all, love is a free gift and I have no doubt that they are truly ready to give it unconditionally. Not out of guilt nor obligation, but to give it like how it always should've been."_

"…_You're right. I can do this!"_

"_I'll write that down on your pad as well. And believe me when I say that soon you will share with them what __**you**__ truly are." _

"_Huh? Share what? How I feel?"_

"_No, something even better. It'll reveal itself in due time, but just know that it'll be glorious!"_

"_O-Okay! But…what did you mean when you said that I'm __**your child**__? And who's __**Typhon**__?"_

"…_As I said, all will be revealed in due time. But know that Typhon is a dangerous threat and this won't be the last time we deal with its kind. However…now that you have __**grown and learned**__ from this, you will __**expand**__ into your true self at your own pace and be able to defeat its minions with a simple flick of the wrist. Now…I believe it's time for the king to address his council."_

* * *

"Grrrr…rnnnn"

The small rumblings from the previously torpor predator startled his caretakers. The gems looked behind them and they noticed his eyelids flutter open to darkened and blurry surroundings. "Yawwwwwwnnn…" he opened his massive mouth and clicked his tongue against his razor sharp teeth. He shook his head from side to side to get the sleepies out before stretching out by doing the downward lion yoga pose, extending his porcelain white claws out. Thankfully they didn't make contact with the hand-crafted covering. "Rrrrrrrggggg" he muttered as he stretched his back up to resemble an upside down U, with his long tail crinkling up like a curly fry.

"_They're definitely brothers"_ everyone thought as he stretched out his back legs.

Once his vision finally came into focus, Lion beheld all of the gems staring at him with big grins plastered on their faces. "LION!" they yelled before the mobbed him.

Normally he would've swiped at them or used his supersonic roar to make them back off; he didn't like having a lot of hands on his body nor anyone touching him for that matter save for Steven and Connie. But in light of everything that just transpired, he could allow the gentle strokes as well as the cooing talk just this once…although he could deal without Peridot's prodding floating digits. Of course once Lapis found his favorite spot underneath his chin, his tough persona melted into a puddle of content purring.

"We're glad you're okay" Lapis said as she continued to scratch his soft spot.

"Yea big guy" Jasper added as she petted his back.

Lion managed to regain his senses long enough to realize that he didn't see the most important and tiniest pair hands.

"It's okay Lion. He's right here" Pearl said when she sensed his worrying aura.

He let out a short exhale in relief, then looked directly at Pearl's eyes. While still holding Steven in one arm, she tentatively reached one hand out towards his head. Lion closed his eyes and leaned his forehead to her awaiting touch.

"_..Hah"_ Pearl breathed out a smile as she stroked his cotton mane. After a while, he moved his head from up under her hand and placed his muzzle against Steven's body.

"Mrrrrrrooow" he meowed as he gave his cheek a couple of stimulating licks.

"Hmmm…nnnn" Just like his brother before him, Steven's eyes fluttered open but it took him a moment for his eyes to focus on the white and pink blobs in front of him. "Yawwwwwn" he stretched out his arms. When he reopened his eyes again, the images above him were now crystal clear.

"Lion? P-Pearl?" he groggily asked.

"S-Steven" Pearl whispered back before clutching him close to her bosom, breathing in the grassy scent that was within his curly hair. "Steven! S-Steven…" she repeated as she wet his head with her tears.

"Hmmmmmm" he smiled as he melted into the embrace, wrapping his arms around her as well.

After what felt like an eternity she loosened his grip on him, seeing him face to face. "Y-You're okay" she choked out. Steven was still smiling at her as he wiped the tears from her eyes with his little hands.

"ROAR!" Lion happily roared as he nuzzled his head against him, letting his rumbling purrs traverse through his body. He chuckled at the tickling sensation before reaching out and stroking his velvety fur.

"Thanks for being there for me big bro" he whispered and Lion responded by licking his hand. "Hey! Th-that tickles!" he giggled and eventually Lion stopped.

"St-Steven"

He looked behind his giant companion when he heard his name and saw the rest of the gems sitting on the quilts, shifting a little bit in place.

He could tell they were nervous; whether about what he'll possibly say to them or the fact that they didn't want to squeeze him so hard that they end up hurting him more…although Pearl's act of affection should've banished that thought really quick. Either way, like the lovable boy he always was and will forever continue to be, he gently got out of Pearl's arms and hopped into the open arms of nearest gem. Good thing he landed in her chest – having his skull hit her metal arms would not have been pleasant.

No words were spoken between the youngest members of the family, but her glowing green gem spoke volumes on her behalf as she gently ruffled his hair.

**PSHHHING**

Steven looked up when he heard the signature sound of a weapon being summoned, but in this instance something disappeared. Peridot's visor was gone and she stuttered, "My…I mean the water from my visual receptors were obscuring my lens protector…I couldn't see you clearly" she explained.

"Your eyes…they're blue! They're so pretty!" he exclaimed with starry eyes. Peridot was taken aback by his sudden praise, but soon her puzzled expression morphed back into a grateful smile and she hugged him even tighter.

The moment she released him from her hold, Jasper stood up and carefully grabbed him by the back of his shirt – like a mother tiger would carry their cub by the scruff of their neck. She gave him a mighty yet subdued squeeze, lest she accidentally break him in half. "You were right…being outside under the stars is pretty cool" she whispered.

"Huh?" he asked as he pushed off of her chest and looked at the painted sky.

"Whoa…Hey look! There's Leo!" he pointed out. "Look Lion! You got your own portrait in the stars!"

Lion looked up but raised one eyebrow up in confusion. He didn't see anything that came close to remotely looking like him.

"It's that group of stars right there" Pearl whispered as she connected the dots. "It's a constellation and human astrologists have dubbed it Leo, an ancient word meaning Lion" she explained but Lion was still thoroughly confused. How was that little hook thing supposed to look like him? But if Steven could see it, then that's all that mattered to him. He acknowledged its presence with a short huff and laid back down on the quilts before curling up to get comfortable.

Their star gazing trance was broken when Jasper felt something poke her arm. She looked down and Steven followed her gaze to see Lapis standing with her hands behind her back and big, pleading eyes. Jasper smiled and lowered him down so she could hold him in her arms.

"Steven" she whispered as she held him for dear life. He didn't say anything, just returned the embrace. Soon a faint light erupted out of her gem and surprisingly streams of it were circling around them.

"…_That's new" _everyone except Garnet thought and Peridot engaged her holo-pad to record the new yet intimate phenomenon; she had to cover her mouth to hide the big grin she was sporting.

"Alright, I know you know something. What's going on?" Jasper whispered.

"Let's just say that this is step two" she replied before thinking "_After everything she's been through…to be able to trust someone so much…hopefully I'll be able to regain that with Steven."_

She really didn't want to interrupt the flow, but at the same time she couldn't wait to shower him with affection as well and start the rebuilding process. She slowly made her way behind Lapis so she was in his direct line of vision when he opened his eyes, which happened to be exactly seven seconds after she got in position. She made her glasses disappear and stared at him with a slight tinge of trepidation. She held her hands behind her back, so he wouldn't see her Sapphire-embedded hand shaking.

"Lapis" he whispered. She opened her eyes and pulled him away a bit from her body. He gestured behind her using his head; she turned around and beheld the nervous leader. She showed a soft smile and held him out for her to hold. She took a quick breath to steady her jittery nerves, carefully grabbed the boy and held him close to her warm body.

"Garnet" he whispered and she immediately tensed up. He simply gripped her tighter, letting his actions speak for him. All three of her eyes went wide with that small move; shortly after that her eyes started to get watery and her lips started to quiver. "S-Steven" she choked out as she closed her eyes, pushing the pooling water down her cheeks and returned the embrace with a greater ferocity. Albeit…a little too fierce.

"G-Garnet" Steven gasped and she immediately opened her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry" she apologized as she loosened her grip.

After taking a few deep breaths, Steven merely smiled in response, causing her to smile back as well. She ruffled his hair and set him down on the quilt. "Steven…we're-"

"Wait" he interrupted as he held up his hand, stopping whatever she was going to say. "L-Let me go first. I-I need to get this off my chest" he explained.

Everyone nodded their heads and sat down with Lion serving as their massive body pillow. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to get his words together. He needed to be confident and clear; there could be no room for any misinterpretation. When he opened his eyes, he glanced over at Lion and the furry companion gave an assuring nod.

"…_Okay, I can do this"_ he whispered to himself.

* * *

"Guys…I'm really sorry for the way I let my temper get out of control." Then rushed over and gave Peridot another big ol' hug and apologized, "And I'm really really sorry that I hurt you! I-I didn't even know I was using mind control! I was just so upset…then that bad voice said that I awakened it due to my rage. But I promise I'll never do it again! I swear! I don't want to hurt you guys!"

Before Peridot even had a chance to utter one syllable, Steven got up off of her and wiped his eyes.

"But…this can't happen again. And now I know why it got to point where that thing almost controlled me again. **I…I was trying to be something that I'm not**. I was still trying to be my mom instead of being me. I mean it was great in the beginning when I was a little kid and you guys would tell me all these awesome stories about her. She became my hero and I wanted to do all that neat stuff too! Then…I started to notice some things. Like how you guys would get sad on my birthdays or how whenever I got hurt, the first thing Pearl would check was my gem then kinda be…nonchalant, if that's the right word, about my injury at first then kinda snap of out of it. Then you guys really didn't want to talk about her all that much. I even remember some nights when you thought I was asleep, I saw you guys staring up at her portrait for a long time. So I thought if I worked harder to really be like her, then you guys wouldn't be sad…and that I wouldn't get silently blamed for taking her away."

Garnet and Pearl couldn't stop the tears from falling when he listed all of their little tendencies; everything that they had figured out during his destructive rage was true after all.

"I was so happy when I got my shield and helped defeat the centipeedle! I-I thought I was really becoming a part of team, y'know being on the same level as you guys instead of being a weight on the end of chain that you guys had no choice but to carry around. But then I realized that there were more powers that I haven't awakened yet…especially when you needed them. Like when Amethyst fell off the cliff and cracked her gem and how Pearl said, _"Before…we had Rose…"_ It just made me feel so…small that I couldn't help at that time no matter how hard I tried. And Garnet just looked so disappointed in me."

"Then Connie and I discovered that I had healing spit and you guys were happy! And when I found out I could make my Watermelon Stevens, I was a little freaked out at first but then I got really excited when it was another power! At least until Amethyst said, _"But Rose's plants moved and stuff…these guys don't do anything."_ And when they came alive, I couldn't control them because I didn't know how. If it wasn't for baby melon…**sigh** so it's been just like this up and down roller coaster and it was really starting to frustrate me! Of course it made things worse when I found out that the Sea Spire mission was a test…and how you guys **rigged the dungeons** for me."

Garnet and Pearl immediately straightened up and stared at him with wet, wide eyes when he said that.

"I…I heard you guys talking about how you didn't know what I needed…and I guess at the time I didn't know either. I just knew that I wanted to make you happy so you wouldn't feel like you failed. That's why I said what I said. I didn't mean to lie to you guys...I didn't know what else to do. That's when I figured if I could learn how to fuse, m-maybe you guys could see my mom through my gem and she could help you guys out. But it didn't work out that way. But the fact that I was able to fuse with Connie and make Stevonnie was amazing because we were one and she wanted to be with me. That I made her happy by being **myself**."

"From then on, I was feeling great! I just kept on going and eventually I got better and better and there was nothing bad to say about me…at least until some of mom's secrets started to come out and Pearl got so upset. And…and…"

He had to take a break. This was a lot to sort through…it was easier with Navi since she could basically read his mind. He clenched and un-clenched his fists a few time to steel his nerves.

He sighed and continued, "A few days after we got back from the strawberry fields…in the middle of the night...I tried using the **back of a hammer** to try and get my gem out so mom could come back and make everything better. But it didn't work…and I ended up getting that nasty scratch on my belly that I said Lion did."

Lion's eyes widened when he heard that little confession. That explains why he wasn't allowed in the house for that one week a while back and why Steven kept on bringing him more treats than his belly could handle. But it wasn't his fault. It all stemmed from their insecurities and not dealing with their grief. When he gazed upon the rest of the gems, Lapis and Peridot had their mouths wide open in shock whereas Jasper showed her signature glare towards the two gems who were doubled over and looking like they were about to throw up…but their gasping sobs could've been a sufficient substitute.

Steven hated seeing his family like this…but this wound needed to be cleaned so it could finally heal. It may sting a whole lot…but a little pain was nothing compared to a continuous, debilitating infection.

He exhaled again and pressed on, "So when Lapis, Jasper and Peridot came back to Earth, I knew I had to come back. Especially after dad told me about what you guys **really are** and how mom used her shield in the war. There was no way I was going to just sit on sidelines and lose everybody when you've already lost so much. That's why I didn't hesitate when I jumped in front of that finger laser that Peridot fired at us. I'm just glad my shield showed up when it did; I didn't know about emotional clarity then. Of course then we were captured but I was able to break us out and well…y'know the rest."

"After that, I was on fire! Learning more abilities, having fun with everyone and making decisions that were helping you guys out. It finally felt like I had achieved my goal! Until…what Pearl said about how I didn't know anything…what Garnet said back in the cavern…and how even Jasper didn't even acknowledge me when I was brought to Peridot. It felt like the roller coaster just…**crashed.** Into a bunch of little pieces. All this time I've been trying to put the parts back together and I know you've all apologized…but those thoughts just kept running through my mind. That's the **real** reason why I transformed into a lion cub, I didn't want to deal with all of this anymore! It just felt like I was going back to square one with you guys! Lion just looked so carefree and I wanted to experience that. But after that battle with the corrupted gem, I realized that I couldn't run away from my issues. Although...in a sense I've been doing that all my life by bottling it up. No wonder those voices were able to create Dark Stevonnie and I'm guessing almost make a Dark Levon too…they had a lot of stuff to feed on."

"Then Lion brought me to this special place that kinda looked like the kindergarten, but it felt…alive. I don't know how else to explain but it made me feel comfortable – like I was supposed to be there."

Steven took another pause and closed his eyes for a moment.

* * *

"_Navi? Do you want me to tell them about you?"_

"…_I'll leave that decision to you. Personally…given that you've experienced Typhon's forces with disastrous results, they may believe me to be a cunning enemy rather than an ally. But in the end, your opinion of me is all that matters to me."_

* * *

Steven reopened his eyes and faced his sad and shocked family, waiting with baited breath to hear what he would say next.

"Once I reached the center of the canyon…I found this really old tree and I just sensed that it was connected to my mom. So I meditated under it. That's when I realized that I was feeling overwhelmed because it seemed like nothing was changing. I wanted decisions to be easier with better outcomes. I know it frustrated me a whole lot because it felt like I was growing but you guys were still the same. But that wasn't fair of me to think like that – we all grow a different speeds. Plus…**the easy solution isn't always the best solution.** And the results that we've gotten lately may not have been what I had envisioned to be ideal…but I can't say that they were _all_ bad. We're a lot better off than what we used to be, so that's good. I just wasn't prepared for those voices and other hurtful things that you guys said…even if it was me drawing out your negativity. I mean…I've been trying so hard to be mom and now that you guys know that she's still alive more or less, it just felt like I had to be her but to the one hundredth power! And by doing that…**Steven got pushed to the side**. I thought…I thought nobody would want me unless I was the leader…your guys' crutch to help carry you. That's I'd lose the good ground I gained with you guys. **That I'd be all alone…forever."**

He had to wipe his eyes after he said that, but he kept on going with a touch of bitterness in his voice, "That's why I got so upset when you kept that secret about the giant cluster from me. I just did all this unbelievable stuff and I got frustrated because I became all that you wanted, or at least **I thought** you wanted, and it still wasn't enough!"

Garnet and Pearl's head just hung in shame while everyone else nervously glanced at each other.

He took another deep breath and spoke, "That's when I learned I had to start over; look at my note pad and see what I like and dislike. What my tendencies are. How I would do things. **I do Steven because I AM Steven.** And I'm tired of being the way that others might want me to be! That's just what home world does! I'm not a servant!"

That's when his earlier song lyrics made so much more sense within the minds of his family.

"I **will** be a great leader because I want to be! But I'll do it my own way and at my own pace" he proudly stated before letting out a resigning sigh, "At least I've learned how hard it is for anyone to talk about certain things…it hurts. I guess those **fear voodoo pins** were stuck in me for so long that I just got numb to it. Good thing I developed those absorbing powers when I did. But I couldn't let those things hurt me and in turn hurt you. So…I guess…what I'm saying is…**you'll have me as I am**. If you don't want that…**then I'll leave**. I'd rather be alone, or at least be with dad and Lion, than trying to kill myself to be something I'm not" he finished.

"NO! DON'T LEAVE!" Pearl cried as she latched herself onto him, soaking his shirt with her tears. She couldn't even compose any words at that moment, she just let out all of her regrets in incomprehensible sobs. Steven instinctively started rubbing her back, trying to comfort her.

Being ever the stoic leader, Garnet sat up straight and stared at him with all three eyes. "S-Steven" she spoke through a faltering voice. "I don't even know what to say…I don't think I have the right to say anything. My actions have spoken enough throughout the years and all it did was make you suffer. I can't believe it even got to the point to where you thought the best way for us to be happy was to **commit suicide**."

"**What?!" **he gasped.

"Steven…without our gems, **we are nothing**. You would've killed yourself…all for the sake of our messed up ideal for what we wanted of you" she explained.

Steven had to grab his head when the severity of what could've happened hit him like one of Jasper's punches. He had just meant dealing with those slimy monsters.

"I-I'm such a hypocrite. When you were recovering from the first attack, I told you that we wanted you to be **you**...then all this happens. So much for showing you our unlimited love…we just kept on draining you until we sucked you dry. I have no right to call myself the embodiment of love" she lamented.

"That's not true! It's because of the love between Ruby and Sapphire that you even exist" he countered.

She showed a small smile of gratitude. "_Even after all that…I should've known that it wasn't dried up"_ she thought before continuing, "Th-thank you. But the truth is…we should've known better. **I should've known better**, I have the future vision! I should've seen this…but I was **scared**. I didn't want to see anything wrong – I was in denial. That's why I didn't tell you about the cluster. I was just so afraid of what happened in the cavern happening to you again that I completely dismissed your progress. I made the wrong call."

"But it was for the right reasons" Lapis added. "And don't forget…**we all agreed to it**. We couldn't even stand the thought of having something horrible happen to you. That's happened way too many times in such a short amount of time."

"…Yea. I kinda figured that out when I was coming back to my senses" Steven replied as he continued stroking Pearl's back.

"It still doesn't change the fact you bottled up all your feelings and put on this cheerful facade for the sake of our "happiness"…and it made you miserable. We should've been open and honest with you. I won't say that the feelings we had back then weren't genuine. **We were hurting and confused**. But you should've **never** bore the brunt of our grief…our sadness…our anger. **It wasn't your fault**. We just lost sight of that along the way. S-Steven…I know probably doesn't mean much…**but we're sorry**. C-can we start over? Be the family we should've been from the beginning?" Garnet pleaded.

Steven looked at all of the forlorn faces as they awaited his answer; even Pearl grabbed him a little tighter.

"…_Through my fear and my confessions…you were there"_ he quoted.

"And so were you" Jasper added.

"Y'know…I just realized something. All of our stories haven't had such good beginnings…not even mom's. Maybe Lion's?" but his confidant shook his head no. "Or not. Anyway that beginning doesn't make us who we are – it's the rest of the story. I know I said I'm a combination of you guys and that's still true. Your ideals and um…I think the word is philosophies, are the ingredients. But now it up to me to be the author of my own recipe book, putting new spins on things I've learned. I think I'll call chapter one "**king bread**." Taking the basic bread recipe and turning it into a cinnamon-sugar swirl loaf with chocolate chips and powdered sugar on top. Just like how I turned "Fake Steven" into the real me. You can't knead it too much or else it'll become hard and not tasty at all…just like a **dark transformation**."

Although food was still a foreign concept to them, the significance of the metaphor wasn't lost.

"I…I know this won't go away overnight and it's a process. But love is patient, kind and never fails. And just the fact that I had enough courage and faith in you guys not to worry about facing any backlash from sharing my true feelings shows that we're on the right track. This experience is going to have a great ending…I just know it! And I am grateful that you guys will want to be a part of it, learning and growing along the way. Now it'll have more open communication. Like my dad said, **talking is key in any relationship."**

"…He's right about that" Garnet commented as she remembered an earlier conversation between him and Rose…the advice that she gave him to help them to even get to the point of creating Steven. She clenched her fists and thought, "_How could I have been so…so…blind?!"_

"Steven" Lapis spoke. "I know you said that what we've been seeing so far has been fake…but I don't believe that's true. Your love, your kindness, your compassion and even your patience…**that was all genuine**. You can't fake that."

"She's right" Jasper added. "**Now** it makes sense why you wanted to help me when you freed me from the bubble. You told me that everyone deserves to be loved. You wanted to give me, Peridot and Lapis what we never had…what you felt like you didn't have for a long time. That's the biggest sacrifice I've ever seen anyone do. Well…you said we would go through anything together and that includes this. We'll be like this" as she linked her ring and thumb finger circles together "Very soon."

"And that goes for all of us. Steven, I am so very proud of you. In the midst of not only your personal storm but ours as well…you were able to find balance" Garnet praised.

"_Upendo" _he thought as she continued talking, "You were able to understand your feelings…see them clearly and face them head on. _**Literally**_. You are our hope…our shining example for what we can be as well."

"…Don't say it like that. It makes it sound like I'm above everyone. I know I said I'd be a great leader, but the sign of a good leader is being relatable while being helpful. I'm not perfect…but that's okay" he said.

"We know you're not perfect. **You're Steven**. What is perfect anyway?" Garnet smiled.

Steven thought about it for a moment; she didn't think he'd actually try to answer her rhetorical question. She just wanted to show that perfection is a fool's errand because standards can change on a whim. Before she had a chance to clarify her statement, he answered "Anything that has love and respect for themselves and one another?"

"…_I stand corrected"_ she thought before enveloping him and Pearl in a big hug. "You're absolutely right" she whispered as she squeezed a little harder.

"...This phenomenon is quite the recurring one isn't it?" Peridot whispered to Jasper.

"What? The hugging, the crying, or the apologizing?" Jasper asked back.

"…All of it I suppose" she realized.

"Do you want it to stop?" she asked.

"…The apologizing part yes. It makes me feel small when we do it. I've grown fond of the physical contact and the crying does seem to be an…acceptable form of displaying emotions. It feels like it releases them naturally" she explained.

"Well, we won't be apologizing for much longer. This is still the training phase for all of us. Just remember that" Jasper spoke as she ruffled her hair. She nodded at that.

Soon the trio's embrace ended and Pearl finally let go of him, but something was different about her attire.

"Pearl? What happened to your shirt?" Steven asked when he noticed three tears across it…similar to how it was the night after her rant.

She wiped her puffy eyes and explained, "Th-The day where I said all those awful things about you, Lion and I had a bit of a…heart to heart. He brought me a letter that your mother wrote about this very issue. _**Trust**_. Garnet had showed her this possibility occurring…but she believed that it wouldn't happen. That's why she had it locked and hidden away. She didn't blame me even though she had every right to do so. We, more so _me_, created a festering environment of silent condemnation towards you when you were completely innocent of everything. All because I couldn't get over the fact that she was gone…among other things" she silently added and Jasper hummed in agreement with that.

"When Lion slashed my outfit, I swore I wouldn't fix it until I earned your forgiveness. And while you were gone after that cluster cavern debacle, Greg taught us that forgiveness was about not bringing up mistakes in a negative light."

Steven was about interject but Pearl held her hand up.

"Steven, I in no way will ever blame you feeling that way. I caused it and you couldn't talk to me about it because you knew my mindset back then. No wonder you used your newfound abilities as a defense mechanism so you wouldn't lose the "good ground" with us. We were the ones on the shaky foundation; you had the good ground that we failed miserably to nourish. **I know you forgave me**. You don't bring it up on a constant basis and you don't belittle me in anyway. You wouldn't have given me so many chances to redeem myself nor showed this much compassion if you hadn't. From every fiber of my construct please please **please** know that I'm truly grateful for it" she emphasized by bowing at his bare feet.

"…Pearl, please don't do that" he whispered but she shook her head no.

"I know that forgiveness isn't a license to keep on doing the same mistakes after I'm given it…I need to learn from them. _**I have to.**_ I don't want you feeling like that nor going through another dark transformation ever again! So until I fully earn your trust, I will not fix this" she swore as she sat back up.

"…Same here" Jasper followed up as she phased away her star wristbands. "I have to earn my stars."

"What?! No no no! Don't do that! That represents the love our family has for each other! It's a free gift, you don't have to earn it! You earn trust yea, but not unconditional love!" Steven protested while flailing his arms about.

"On the contrary" Peridot said as she phased the star off of her chest. "You expressed that you did not feel any love from us and in turn the love you gave seemed to be purely out of desperation so as though you wouldn't be alone. Am I wrong? I'm still pretty new to this."

Steven didn't have a comeback for that.

"Steven" Garnet spoke as she made the star design disappear off of her chest. "We did receive your gift…and we **abused** it. This is what I meant when I asked if we could start over and be a family again. Built on the right foundation of unconditional love, no fear or any other strings attached."

Lapis nodded and made the stars vanish from her outfit as well.

"But…how will I know?" he asked.

"**Take your time and trust your instincts.** They've worked wonders so far" she smiled and everyone nodded at that.

Steven let out a long sigh and rubbed his hand through his hair. "…Words begot action. Thoughts begot words. No more stinkin' thinkin' means no more bad actions. If this what you need to do, then I respect your call" he finally acknowledged until something clicked in his head. "…Call…I need to call Connie!" he realized as he bolted towards the stairs. Before he reached the first step, Peridot caught him in her tractor beam.

"What the?!"

"Steven no! It's too dangerous to go in there! Dark Levon nearly destroyed the house!" she explained.

"But my phone's okay…right? Can you float me inside so I can grab it? Please?" he asked.

"…I suppose that's fine. The upstairs of your domicile is still intact and no one else besides you knows the specific layout of all your possessions" she concluded.

"Thank you Peridot" he replied.

"I'm going up with you" Garnet stated and the green gem gave her a puzzled look but shrugged her shoulders. The two gems carried him up the stairs and entered the house through the demolished door.

"…whoa" he uttered when he saw the numerous claw marks. It looked like a wild animal was trying to escape its cage…which wasn't too far off from what actually happened. There wasn't a table, bar stools, or even any couch cushions. Just seven large trash bags filled to the brim with broken items.

"Pearlnado strikes again" Garnet commented.

"Indeed" Peridot praised.

"Um…guys?"

"Huh? Oh right! Right! Sorry" Peridot apologized and she floated him over to his room. She released him from the green tractor beam right over his freshly made bed.

"Thanks! Okay…phone…phone…where are you pho-Ah Ha! Got it!" he said as held the device out for them to see.

"Very good. Now hold still" Peridot instructed as she encased him in a green light again. As she rose him into the air, his wandering eyes noticed that something important was missing.

"Um…guys? Mom's picture isn't there. …Did…did I destroy it?" he nervously asked.

"Consciously…no." Garnet answered.

"…Was Pearl…upset?"

"**I was." **

"GAH!" shrieked Peridot and she almost dropped Steven onto the splintered floor. "Jeez! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she chided the cream-colored gem.

"I…I had a feeling that he would see that Rose's portrait was missing. Steven…when Levon slashed through her picture over and over…it crushed me. But the Garnet reminded me that that picture isn't Rose. **You** are her legacy for she is a part of you. She'll be with you as you walk your own path…just like I have to. That's why I decided to burn it in the fire below us" she explained.

"What?!"

"It's true" Garnet added.

"We…**I**…always painted Rose to be perfect. For lack of a better analogy, I saw her through rose-tinted glasses. But she wasn't perfect and that was okay. That didn't make her any less of a gem. I treated her like an altar instead of my...friend. I'll always cherish the time I had with the **being**, but now I need to cherish and revel in the new _feelings_ of your experience. One day we'll get a proper portrait to illustrate what we have now…what we'll never lose again" she stated and Steven smiled at that.

Peridot carefully brought him out and set him on the porch. The gems gave him his privacy and walked back down to the camp site. He swiped his finger on the touchscreen and scrolled through his contacts until he reach her number.

* * *

"…beeeep….beeeep…**click** STEVEN! Steven, is that you!? Are you okay?!"

He had to take the phone away from his ear when she screamed his name. "Don't worry Connie, I'm alright. Better than alright actually."

"Oh thank God! I was so worried!"

"I know. The gems told me that you were having another one those…y'know…"

"Yea…I was just so scared. You were already hurt and then you up and leave to face that assassin all by yourself…well y'know what I mean. I'm just glad you're okay. I'm…I'm sorry couldn't do more."

"What're you talking about? We we're all caught off guard. Besides you were there by my side like a brave knight and you were on guard in case one of those slimy monsters got out. Thank you for being a **true friend**" he sincerely replied.

"No…thank you Steven. For being_ you_" and that caused a big grin to form on his face, before a long yawn erupted out of his mouth.

"I guess we both need some rest, but thanks for calling and letting me know you're okay. Now I'll sleep a lot easier" she said.

"You and me both. I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?"

"Okay. Goodnight Steven!"

"Goodnight Connie! I love you" he smiled.

"I-I-I"

"Connie? Are you still there? You're breaking up."

"I love you too! **click** beeeep"

"_What…just happened? Maybe Dr. Mahasarewn started asking about what happened today_" he thought as he hung up. He ran down the stairs and joined the rest of his family on the quilts.

* * *

"Was Connie alright?" Pearl asked.

"Yea, she was just worried about me. Wait a sec…oh man dad's probably freaking out! I gotta let him know I'm okay!"

"Hold on little cub" Jasper said as he grabbed him by the back of his shirt before he could run down the beach. "We'll see him soon enough. You need your rest" she extenuated by situating him right next to her.

"She's right. He knows that you deal with magical missions on a regular basis so it's not a big surprise to him…at least until we divulge the severity of the situation that was at hand" Pearl clarified.

"I'll explain everything that happened, I promise" Garnet assured and Steven nodded at that; she may not be the best conversationalist but she is tactful and to the point.

**Yawwwnnn**

Lapis grabbed another blanket that folded off to the side and draped it over him. "Rest Steven. You've most certainly earned it" she said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Mmm…ookay. Goodnight Lapis. Goodnight Pearl. Goodnight Peridot. Goodnight Garnet. Goodnight Jasper. Goodnight Lion" he individually named before his eyelids closed for good and soft snores came out of his lips.

"Goodnight Steven" they whispered as they instinctively gathered around him – creating a shield from whatever might try to harm him. Because as sure as the Earth was still spinning, it wasn't going to be them. **Never again.**

* * *

The roar of the bon fire continued to provide much needed warmth as sudden onshore wind chilled the air. The young boy was cradled within the body nest created by the rest of his family as they continued to shelter him from the elements, even during their unusual resting phase. He curled in further into his blanket cocoon and inadvertently into Peridot's body.

She awoke with a slight start, but quickly relaxed once she saw who bumped into her. A small smile crossed her lips at his peaceful countenance. She made a move to cradle him to her bosom, until she remembered that she took off two critical components in order to be comfortable. And her natural body form didn't give her the ability to fully embrace anyone…unless they didn't mind being uncomfortable in a metal grip. A light mist started to form on her eyes but quickly used her nub to somehow grab the edge of his blanket to wipe it away. She carefully used her leg enhancers to gently kick Jasper's leg.

The striped gem's eyes shot open when she felt the little attack, but immediately calmed her illusionary pulse when she saw who committed the act. She quirked one eyebrow up, silently asking her "W_hat's wrong?_"

Peridot pointed to him, then to her before trying to do an air hug. It took a moment for Jasper to understand her gesture language until she whispered "…Oh!" She showed an awkward yet sympathetic smile before reaching over her little cub and ruffling her hair. Now the real problem was scooting him over to her.

"Yawwwwwnnnn…mmmm" he yawned as he stretched out and rolled over right into her chest.

"…_Well that was easy"_ she thought before she smiled at his light snores.

She and Peridot nodded at each other before Jasper closed her eyes and draped one arm over him. A small sigh escaped the green gem's lips as she settled back down into her previous sleeping position. Just as she was about to close her eyes, a pair of arms embraced her from behind.

"WHA"

"Shhh…" she was quickly shushed.

She glanced behind her and saw that the arms belonged to Lapis. "I saw what happened…I hope my hug will suffice" she whispered as she squeezed a little tighter.

A little blush appeared on Peridot's face before she stuttered, "Y-Yes. Thank you L-Lazuli." Lapis nodded against her shoulder and closed her eyes. After a few awkward moments passed, Peridot finally relaxed into her generous gesture and resumed her peaceful slumber.

Another cool gust passed over the campsite, blowing some of Jasper's long locks over Steven's nose. "Mmmmm…" he mumbled as he groggily opened his eyes and brushed the stray hairs away. Now that the soft yet somewhat itchy obstruction was off of him, his starry eyes beheld the beautiful, needle-pricked sky.

A crescent silver moon provided a subtle contrast to the luminous display of numerous stars. He carefully sat up as far as he could since Jasper's arm was on top of him so he could survey his surroundings. He looked down at the beach and watched little crabs emerge from the safety of their sand homes to make their midnight journey to the depths of the concealing ocean for whatever treasures awaited them.

Then he did a panoramic glance at his family. Pearl was laying on top of Garnet's stomach while the sunglass-shaded fusion had one arm around her. Lion was sprawled out on his back. Lapis was hugging Peridot from behind and he noticed that something was missing.

"_Her arms!" _He looked around and found the robotic enhancements underneath the stairs. _"Why did she…oh."_

His heart went out to the green gem when he saw her place her stunted arms over Lapis' clasped hands on her chest. "_She wants to cuddle too…"_ he realized but unfortunately metal isn't comfortable; that's why she took them off. "_I wonder if I can heal her body somehow"_ he thought before he noticed that he was missing one more family member.

"…_Guess she's still inside"_ he thought as he glanced at the dark house behind him. He sighed…he knew he was in no condition to help out anyone after the physical and mental toll his body endured not only today but for the past five or more years. At least he could hopefully let her know that she wasn't alone. He nestled back down next to Jasper and closed his eyes to get the rest his body desperately needed.

"_I'm here Amethyst…Goodnight"_

* * *

**Steven finally did it! He won his "One on One" battle! But what about the rest of the gems? Like Garnet said, "he's barely opened the door of what's going on inside of me." And what thing will Steven share with them that'll be what Navi described as "glorious"? Does it have something to do with those swirling lights? Tune in for the next arc, "Another Part of Me". **

**So I kinda imagined some of the hidden emotions Steven could've felt during some the episodes, like "The Test", "Alone Together", "Rose Scabbard" among others. I hope you guys were okay with the whole hammer thing...I know its kinda...tough. If that's the right word.**

**I based the whole "I AM" sequence from Balto, when that white wolf comes in and howls. While Balto initially resists, he finally accepts that part of his unique recipe and howls as well.**

**Funny how I just end up listening to these songs while I'm writing these chapters, but I think "Reflection" really embodies the spirit of the chapter.**

**I don't own Steven Universe nor Michael Jackson's music catalogue. Just my imaginative capabilities.**

**And just as a head up, i'll be going on a hiatus until Thanksgiving. My little sister's 5th b-day is on the 16th and after that, full on training mode for my next cross-fit event! And my coach is as strict as they come. Thanks for understanding. **


	42. Chapter 42

"Whoaaaa…." marveled the star-struck lad.

A colorful array of bumpy, glittering stalagmites and stalactites decorated an enormous cavern. Warm sunlight spilled into the mesmerizing location, reflecting off the stones to create dazzling auroras with every color imaginable on the known spectrum. The tantalizing aroma of confectionary treats drew the boy in like a moth to a flame. He slowly approached a blue stalagmite that was giving off a delicious smell. On a hunch, he chipped off a piece of it and popped it into his mouth.

"Mmmmmm! Blue Raspberry!" he realized as he savored the natural forming rock candy. "This place is amazing!" he voiced and it echoed throughout the ethereal cavern.

Steven wasted no more time in trying out all the different colored rock formations to see what flavor his delicate taste buds could detect. Needless to say he was not disappointed. Cherry, orange, watermelon, green apple, marshmallow and even ones that tasted like sweet potatoes and sugar-spiced carrots satisfied his extensive palate.

"_Man this is soooooo goooood"_ he happily thought as he patted his candy-filled cheeks before swallowing the bite-sized chunks. "Mmmm…kinda thirsty now. Hmm? What's that?" he asked himself when he spotted a nice-sized puddle being fueled by the steady water droplets from a golden stalactite overhead. He crouched down and saw his reflection in the still golden water.

He got closer so he could take a few whiffs. Normally yellow water either meant lemonade or…well…as Peridot calls it "The watery excrement to be served as some kind of punishment for simply enjoying any Earth beverage! Especially the ones made from pressed, ripened red ovaries!"

Well it didn't smell like that or lemonade, but he figured if the rest of the cave contained all this delicious rock candy that it had to be something tasty.

"_Hopefully my assumption doesn't make me a…a…whatever Amethyst said that Pearl told me not to repeat"_ Steven thought as he scooped up some of the mystery liquid with his hands. He brought a small amount up to his lips and did a tentative lick, like Lion lapping up his water.

"Mmm…MMMMMM!" he blissfully hummed as he sucked down the rest of the liquid. He went back down for seconds, thirds, fourths, and even more until his thirst was quenched. "I've never had anything like that before! It's sooo good! I wonder if this is that chilled amber Mo and Curly were talking about. I need to bring them here so we can have our own Diwaliko celebration! And dad, Connie, and the gems! Wait…can the gems eat rocks? **They are rocks**. But it's candy so it's okay! I know Amethyst will love it!"

As soon as he said her name, the light that was illuminating the cave dimmed down tremendously, so much so that he could barely see his hands in front of his face. "It's nighttime already? Awwww! I wanted to see the rest of the cave! …Wow, when it gets dark it gets **dark**."

Just as he was about to turn around and head out, a small sound entered his ears. "_Huh? What was that?_" he thought as he cupped behind his ears to get better clarity. But all he heard was the now rapid dripping from what sounded like multiple stalactites.

"…_Weird. I wish could see. Wait…I can!"_ Focusing on the energy within his gem, he managed to emit a bright pink light. But the sight before him made him wish that it was still shrouded in darkness.

"_Wh-What? What happened_?" he thought.

The once candy-filled, colorful landscape was now a bleak, grey wasteland with jagged rocky protrusions with silvery edges…almost like knives.

"_I gotta get out of here!_" he immediately thought but that familiar sound rang throughout the deadly cavern. "_C-crying? Maybe somebody's trapped down here!_" he deduced before taking a deep breath and shouting from the top of lungs, "HELLLLOOOOO? IS ANYBODY THERE?"

He waited a couple of seconds for a response…he didn't get one. Well…not a verbal response anyway. **POOF**

"_What the?!"_ he thought before he dashed into the cavern when he heard that explosion, being mindful not to brush up against any of the sharp rocks. "HEY! ARE YOU OKAY!?" he shouted again as he ran in the direction from where the sound came from…or at least he hoped that's where the sound originated from.

Although the terrain looked the same aesthetically, there was no denying the fact that it was becoming more and more treacherous.

"OW!" he suddenly yelped when he felt something pierce through the sole of his sandal. He stood on his left foot and gingerly took his right sandal off. His pupils shrunk in horror and he shuddered at what he saw. Dozens upon dozens of thorn-like stickers were lodged into the rubber material. If anyone decided to play soccer here, the ball wouldn't stand a chance.

"_That could've been my foot"_ he realized as he threw the now useless footwear away; there was no way he was going to pick out every single burr, even if he did have healing powers. "_I need my bubble_" he thought as he surrounded himself with the protective, pink shield. But he made sure to throw the other sandal away so the sharp stickers wouldn't scrape off inside of the barrier. Steven steamrolled over the hazardous terrain, feeling the rocks crunch underneath him like dried autumn leaves. Not seeing any other indications of life, he opened up a hole in his bubble and shouted, "HEEEEEEEY! IS ANYONE DOWN HERE?! I'M HERE TO HELP! SHOUT AND I'LL FIND YOOOOOU!"

Another agonizingly tense moment passed and there was still no response. Steven sighed heavily – it was extremely rare for him to start losing hope. Did he really hear someone crying? Was it all in his head? He rubbed his forehead, contemplating his next move. It wouldn't do him or the injured person any good if he got hurt too – but he just couldn't stand the thought of leaving somebody behind.

"_I'll go a little further and if I don't see anything…I'll go get help_" he mentally told himself before continuing into the naturally formed death trap. He wasn't sure how long he'd been traveling down the maze-like path, but with each step he took his unwavering resolve was getting crushed just like the rocks beneath his bubbled feet. He opened one last hole in his shield and shouted, "HEEEEEEY! IF SOMEONE'S DOWN HERE SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING! I WANT TO HELP YOOOOOU!"

"_C'mon…c'mon…please answer"_ he prayed as he waited for a response with baited breath. He let out a forlorn sigh and closed his shield. He turned around and began pushing the bubble back towards the entrance – at least all the crushed debris made an easy trail to follow. But just as he took two steps, he saw a bright ball of light out the corner of his right eye.

"_What's that?"_ he thought as he quickly rolled towards it. As he got closer he noticed body-shaped forms manifesting in the light. "_…A gem! It was a gem! That's why she didn't answer, she got poofed and went into her gemstone!"_ he realized and that propelled his burning leg muscles to run faster. Just as he was within reach of the vulnerable gem, a giant wall of stalagmites that spanned the entire length of cavern shot up out of the ground and stopped him in his tracks.

"OH C'MON!" he angrily shouted as he dismissed his bubble shield and formed his knuckle busters.

He grimaced in pain when his bare soles touched the little razor rocks, but he fought through the pain and smashed a way through. He was an absolute juggernaut, pounding and pummeling each erected stone barrier to dust. He had traveled too far to give up now! It didn't matter that little tears kept clouding his vision or that his bleeding feet probably looked like one of Lion's scratching posts, it was nothing compared to what that gem must've gone through! He was within mere yards of the reforming gem and now he could actually make out its color.

"…_P-Purple?"_ he thought as short, stout silhouettes surrounded it.

"…No way…it can't be" he uttered as the process ended on a familiar form. And unfortunately his assumption proved to be correct when she finally fleshed out.

"AMETHYST!?" he shouted as he furiously smashed through more barriers. She was surrounded by a cage-like enclosure - almost like an inverted iron rose maiden!

"Amethyst! Are you okay?!" he shouted. But just before he could reach her, multiple clear diamond stalagmites and stalactites emerged and combined to form a massive wall!

"NO! AMETHYST!" he screamed as he pounded on the indestructible substance. "C'mon! C'mon! Break already!" he shouted as sweat beads covered his entire body. But with each hit, different pieces of the wall would emit either a **yellow, blue, or harsh white light**.

"Amethyst, can you hear me?! I can't break through! Shapeshift into something small so you can get out of there!" But he didn't hear anything! "Amethyst?! Answer me please! It'll be okay! We'll get out here and have a big donut party!" he assured as he continued to pound away…that is until he heard a loud

**CRAAAAACK**

"Amethyst, what was that?! Are you okay?!" Still no response! With his anxiety and frustration mounting, he drew back his right fist and focused every ounce of energy he had left into his knuckle buster. The crystalline hand weapon started to burn with a fiery pink light.

"RRRRRAAAAAAH!" he shouted as he punched the impeding barrier, finally making a bicycle tire-sized hole in it. But once again he was mortified by what he saw.

Amethyst was just standing there…completely still. Her head was down and she was holding a sharp piece of the enclosure right above her gem!

"Amethyst! What're you doing!?" he yelled as he climbed through hole only to be stopped and held captive inside of a small, clear diamond dome.

"NOT AGAIN! AMETHYST! I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BUT DON'T DO IT!" he screamed through his raw throat as he desperately pounded on the walls.

If this was someone's idea of a joke it wasn't funny! This was sick and wrong on so many levels! And it didn't help that she raised the makeshift blade up…similar to how Stevonnie raised their sword in order to banish that vile entity out of them. But as far as he could tell…there were no slimy creatures around, just her. Unfortunately it meant that they were inside her head!

"AMETHYST! DON'T LISTEN TO IT! NO STINKIN' THINKIN'! PLEASE DON'T DO IT! I CAN HELP YOU!" he pleaded but it fell on deaf ears. He watched through his wide, moist eyes in horror as she brought the blade down onto her gem. "AMETHYST!"

* * *

**GASP** Steven's eyes shot open as he flailed about in a cottony material that sounded like it was being ripped apart due to his movements.

**THUNK**

"Owwwww…" he moaned as he got up on all fours and rubbed his forehead. Thankfully that face plant helped him snap out of his frenzied and scared state of mind. He looked around and realized that he was in his dad's van and the ripping sound he heard was the purple blanket he was entangled in, but it got snagged on Rudy's sharp thorns. Luckily he retracted them before Steven landed on the metal floor.

"…Just a dream" he sighed in relief as he stood up and untangled himself. He looked down and lifted his now holey, much baggier banana pajama shirt up to see how his plant buddy was doing.

"Rudy, are you okay?" The vine shook its leaves in response.

"That's good. Sorry if I scared you. I had a bad dream, but thanks for protecting me" he smiled as he petted him.

A sweet combination of oranges and jasmine wafted throughout the van.

"Mmmmm…that smells amazing! I didn't know you could do that. I guess that's your version of the gem glow huh?"

Rudy unwrapped his top half from around Steven's waist and got up to his eye level. He tilted his head to the side, signaling him to explain what he just said.

"Oh…right. You don't know about that. Garnet told me that when gems are really happy our gemstones start glowing! Then there's another light that happens when a gem makes another gem happy. If they return the happy glow then that's the first sign of ultimate compatibility, meaning that's the first sign of an everlasting friendship! Do you understand?" he asked.

Rudy energetically nodded his head and released more of the tantalizing fragrance.

"H-Hey! Cut it out! Your leaves a-are t-tickling me!" he giggled as he fell back onto the mattress – Rudy heeded his friend's stuttering command.

"Hehahahooo…that's just what I needed! Thanks again Rudy" he said as he softly stroked his head, causing the little plant to peep happily.

"Wonder what time it is?" he asked as the bountiful rays from the sun filled the mini caravan through the side passenger windows while the main windshield was covered up by a sun blocker.

"Are you hungry? Do you need some of that dirt?" Rudy shook his head "no" and fully wrapped himself back around his waist.

"Okay then, if you're sure" and his leaves shook in confimation. A smile crossed his lips due the tickling sensation but it immediately went away when the memory of that horrific dream re-entered his mind.

"_I…I never had a dream like that before._ _It felt so real_" he thought as he rubbed his knuckles and checked the soles of his feet, still expecting to see gashes and bruises. "…_I hope Amethyst is okay._"

He was startled out of his thoughts when the back doors suddenly creaked open, revealing his dew covered father in a black t-shirt, signature torn jean shorts and sandals. Stars adorned his moist pupils as the elder Universe beamed, "Stu-ball! You're awake!" before dropping the plastic shopping bags and grabbing him in a tight hug.

"Dad…too…tight" Steven gasped and Greg immediately let go of him.

"Sorry bud! I'm sorry! It's just that…I mean I know you've woken up before and I know what Dr. Maheswaran said…but it's still hard and…I'm…I'm just glad you're okay" he repeated as he wiped the happy tears out of his eyes.

It had been ten days since the battle against big Amethyst and Pitch Black as well as the consequent revelation of Steven's true feelings. Thankfully Steven was in his healing coma at the time or else he would've learned some colorful words from his dad when the gems told him **everything** that had transpired, as well as the giant threat unknown to humanity. The yelling matched the decibel of a heavy metal concert, and so many tears were shed that it could've filled an entire lake. But in the end…all that mattered was Steven's well-being, both mentally and physically. He couldn't have that if his family was divided by hostile animosity over mistakes that were made, no matter justified his anger was towards them…the situation…himself…or even his own son. The last one spurned on more by the crushing guilt that overwhelmed all of them that they just didn't know. And the fact that Steven **didn't **want them to know due to his fear of being abandoned. It was only one key factor that caused Greg to not be blinded by his rage and regain his sanity.

* * *

"_Y'know…Right now, every fiber of my being is screaming that I should take him away from you guys __**for good**__. But…I just can't. It's not what Rose would've wanted and I need to honor her wish…even if it looks completely insane in retrospect. And even after __**everything**__ he went through…if Steven gave you another chance, then I can to. __**My hand is in this too.**__ I know I don't know the full scope of your abilities – I mean that's why I agreed to let him stay with you in the first place. But I do know how to be a father to my __**human**__ son. And that's a power in and of its own, regardless of what anyone believes."_

* * *

So it was decided that Steven would remain with him as he recovered while the gems rebuilt the house as well as finishing up the rest of the Turbo Moles. Dr. Mashwaren stopped by every two days to check on his condition, with the prognosis always positive and on the upside…even though it didn't look like it sometimes.

Connie would accompany her mother on those visits and stay with them while the compassionate doctor went off to work when her check-up was complete. One time Steven actually woke up while she was there. Needless to say she was ecstatic and overly eager to assist Greg with feeding him as well as wiping him down with a soapy rag.

There wasn't even a hint of embarrassment or shame within Steven's frail body at having her take care of him. It wasn't like the first time after Jasper's attack. Back then he wanted to show that he was still capable of doing things on his own despite the condition he was in. She'd seen him at his lowest point and quite possibly the most dangerous one at that. Just the fact that she wanted to still be around him filled him with so much love that any belittling thoughts that tried to enter his mind were immediately repelled.

Once his basic needs were met, she animatedly read to him chapters from the "The Obtainable Familiar" saga, with Atticus learning about the true origins of the Vines Authority. Although the time they spent together was maybe a half hour at best before his body resumed its resting phase, it was still cherished none the less.

* * *

"Was this the first time he woke up since the fight?" she asked.

"No, he's been waking up at different times some days. One day its one o'clock in the morning and another day it's in the late afternoon. He usually stays awake for about ten minutes before going back down" he explained.

"…H-How's he been?"

"The first day was really rough on him, he could barely walk. That wasn't much of a surprise. But the fact that he had a smile on his face despite the pain he was in reassured me that he'd be okay. And your mother's check-up's confirmed that. In fact, this is the most active I've seen him. No doubt thanks to you" he smiled as he ruffled her hair.

She smiled at him before returning her fixated gaze upon her sleeping friend. In that instant her resolve her set. Despite the earlier set conditions, she took it upon herself to resume her solo training with Pearl – solely for the reason so that Steven wouldn't have to nor feel an overwhelming obligation to fight everyone by himself. Pearl could still feel the anger towards her in her strikes, but at least she was using the neutral emotion in a productive way and letting it out little by little. And above all else…despite her obvious disdain for the sword master, Connie still showed her the respect her impressive skills commanded.

* * *

"How're you feeling bud? …And what happened to your shirt?" Greg asked as he looked over his son.

"I…I had a bad dream. I was in this delicious rock candy cave, but then the sun went down and it turned into a knife pit! And Amethyst was in trouble and I couldn't help her. I guess I was tossing and turning around so much that Rudy thought I was under attack and brought his spikes out to protect me. …Sorry about your blanket" he apologized as he held up the somewhat shredded sheet.

"Don't worry about it bud, I can always get another one" he assured as he rubbed his curly hair. "But that sure sounds like one doozy of a dream. But you remember what I said about them right?"

"Dreams are just mixed up movies in your head" Steven quoted.

"You got it" he smiled as he booped him on the nose. That got a couple giggles out of him, but the fleeting smile was soon replaced by a concerned frown. "_I know what dad said but still…there has to be more to it."_

"Steven?" Greg called out, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Dad…d-do you think Amethyst is okay? I haven't seen her for a while. Then again I haven't really seen any of the gems all that much either" he realized.

Greg sighed and answered, "…I don't know bud. I know whenever something "bad" happens, she does tend to shut herself away from everyone for a bit. _I know the feeling all too well"_ as he held his son in a light embrace. "It'll take some time…just like any recovery. But she always comes back her senses. We just have to give her some space – just like what the rest of the gems have done for you."

"Huh?"

"Steven, the only reason why you haven't seen them is because you've been asleep whenever they come by. _Under strict supervision of course_" he silently added. "I think they're still nervous being around you after everything that's happened, but they just can't leave you alone. _Nor would I want them to_. You're their child too, but they're working their way up to actually facing you when you're awake and fully recovered."

"…Oh. D-Did Amethyst happen to stop by?" Steven asked and Greg sadly shook his head no.

"…Oh" he despondently repeated.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay bud. Like you told everybody, this experience will have a great ending and I believe that with all my heart" he smiled.

"Thanks dad" Steven smiled back.

"And speaking of fully recovered, how're you feeling?" Greg asked.

"A lot better now, just a little tired and sore" he replied.

"No surprise there bud. That was one heck of a battle you were in. I nearly fainted when I saw the scars on your body" his dad commented.

Steven immediately unbuttoned his pajama shirt and looked down at his body. The scars were definitely much smaller than when he first got them, but three skinny jagged lines still remained. "Dad, have you seen Lion at all?" he asked.

"Sorry bud, I haven't. Pearl said he warped away the day they brought you to me and they haven't seen him since. But I'm sure he'll be back. You're his little bro after all. He probably needed to recover from the ordeal too" Greg assured.

Steven nodded at that before thinking, "_He's probably resting up at the hunting grounds. At least he has plenty to eat."_

"Now, how 'bout some breakfast? Do waffles with whipped cream and strawberries sound good?" he asked.

Stars appeared in Steven's eyes and he nodded his head.

"Alrighty then, time for your old man to work his culinary magic!" Greg beamed as he grabbed the waffle iron and the green/white grocery bags he left outside the van.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Steven asked.

"Um…sure. If you wouldn't mind can you grab the lounge chairs and table from the back shed and set them up? But only if your body is up for it" Greg cautioned.

"I'm totally up for it!" he boasted as he flexed his now leaner biceps.

"You always are" Greg smiled.

"Just let me get changed and I'll grab the chairs. Wait…do I have any clothes here?"

"Right there in the front seat bud. Pearl brought them over the other day and spent most of the night refolding them until they were perfect in her sight" his dad pointed out.

He got off the mattress, looked in the passenger seat and saw a pair of khaki cargo shorts, blue underwear, his red sandals, and the white t-shirt with everyone's colors on it. Steven couldn't help but smile at the gem's subtle wish. "_I guess they are that nervous after all…like I'd ever forget about you guys"_ he thought.

"Alright, I'll leave you to change and I'll be right back with a plate full of deliciousness. Gotta put some meat back on those bones" Greg said as he poked his son's ticklish belly. That garnered a happy squeal before it morphed into a somewhat pained moan.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" he profusely apologized.

"I'm okay dad, really I am. I did say I was little sore but it's nothing major, I swear!" he assured.

"…Okay, if you're sure."

"I'm sure" Steven smiled before his stomach announced that it was tired of being neglected; gem energy can only satisfy his body for so long.

"I'll take that as my cue" Greg commented as he stepped out the van and closed the doors so his son could have some privacy.

He removed his pajama top and gingerly slid his pants off to reveal an embarrassing surprise. "…_Why am I wearing a diaper?!"_ He didn't question it any further before ripping off the juvenile leak protection undergarment, throwing it into an empty plastic grocery bag and tying it up tight.

"Rudy? Will you be okay if I put my clothes over you? I don't want to rip off any of your leaves or anything" he asked.

Rudy responded by coiling a little tighter around his belly before loosening his grip.

"Okay then" Steven confirmed and he started putting his now slightly baggier clothes on. "_Dad was right, I do need more meat on my bones. Good thing Pearl left a belt. Wait…I had a belt?_" he thought as he kept readjusting the red leather braided belt with a yellow-star belt buckle until it was just the right tightness. "_I even have a neck now_. _I mean I always had one but now I can __**really**__ feel it_" he thought as he reached under his chin.

"_Feels weird…but normal I guess. At least I'm at a healthier weight according to Dr. Masherawen's health notes. But this size doesn't feel like me at all. I just gotta get that happy medium_" he decided as he exited the van. He took a deep breath of the tantalizingly fresh salty air combined with the sweet scent of vanilla and spices emanating from the car wash. He stretched his arms up to the sky then crouched down to do some side leg stretches with minimal discomfort.

"I really need to get back into training mode…if they'll even let me" he commented as some of the bones in his thoracic vertebrae cracked and settled into place.

"_Alright! Let's get those chairs_" he thought as he went around back to the little wooden grey shed with a big white bordered X painted on the door. He turned the knob, opened it and inhaled the musty smell of saw dust. "ACHOO!" he sneezed. But the sight before him in the dimly lit storage area was quite surprising. In a good way of course. _"Wow! This place looks amazing! It's so clean and organized. I wonder when dad cleaned it. I wonder if Amethyst is holding some of his stuff in her room…_*sigh*"

Once again his thoughts wandered back to that horrid dream. _"No! Fear is the belief in the worst possible outcome. Amethyst would never do anything like that…"_ That last little caboose of his thought train didn't sound very convincing even within his own mind.

"I just wish I knew…wait! Maybe I can! Navi? Are you there?" he asked.

"I'm always here Steven. I will never leave you**"** the compassionate voice spoke.

"Oh…sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that. I just thought you were recovering from everything too so I wasn't sure if you had to go away and rest like Lion did" he explained.

"Thank you for your concern but it is not warranted. I've been dealing with Typhon's forces as well as other battles for many millennia, so I've become nearly immune to the weariness those types of conflicts can bring. Plus it helps not having a physical body so to speak."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that."

Navi chuckled and continued, "And I'm glad to see that you have recovered enough to perform basic actions on your own. I…I was becoming quite lonely not hearing your voice for so long."

"Awww! I missed you too! And thanks again for helping me out before."

"It is my greatest honor. Now I know that something is troubling you, and if you allow me I would like to be of assistance."

"…Yea. First, is Lion okay?" he asked.

"He's fine. He's at another hunting ground, although if you saw it it'd be considered a marsh due to the large amount of water there. Not to mention the giant trees."

"Wooow! That sounds amazing, but I thought he didn't like water."

"He doesn't like to get wet" she corrected. "All organic life needs water. Why some humans reject the very substance their body basically consists of is quite the perplexing mystery. But I digress. He went there because of the high mineral concentration within that particular stretch of water. He is part gem after all. Not to mention some of his favorite fish to eat are in that area as well. But don't worry, he'll return. I guarantee it."

"I'm just glad he's getting better. Second…I-I had a dream about Amethyst. It started off great! I was in a big cave with all kinds of rock candy, but then it got dark…and all the candy turned into sharp rocks that kinda looked like knives. Then I heard someone crying, so I followed the sound and found her. But I kept getting stopped by all these barriers! One of the walls even glowed yellow, blue and white. I finally punched through that wall but then I got trapped in this diamond dome. Then Amethyst…she had one of those sharp rocks over her gem, almost like when I had my sword over my gem when I was Dark Stevonnie. I yelled to try and get her to stop because I knew what she was going to do, but she didn't listen. But before anything happened I woke up. I-It just felt so real; I even checked my body to make sure there weren't any cuts or bruises. And dad said she hasn't been over to see me like everyone else has, so I'm guessing she hasn't left her room since the fight with big Amethyst. I…I know how she can get sometimes and I'm just worried about her" he finished.

Navi absorbed his disturbing tale and her lack of an instant response didn't help matters.

"N-Navi?" Steven called out when he didn't hear anything for a while.

"…_It can't be. It's simply unfathomable…but it's the only explanation." _she thought; thankfully her thoughts were still hers even in a conjoined mind.

"Navi? A-Are you there? Is everything okay?" he asked again.

"I'm not quite sure how to word it so please don't be alarmed, but I believe that Typhon's mind penetration ability may have been passed onto you" she finally spoke.

"WHAT?! That can't be true! It was just a mixed up movie in my head!" he refuted.

"Yet it felt so real that you expected to see the actual damage on your body correct? Has this kind of phenomena happened before?"

"…No. I mean I've had some dreams that were kinda predicting…informative? I don't know the right word to describe it but it was something like that. Like when dog copter told me to take a deep breath before Lion sat on my face. But nothing like this. So does that mean I'm going to turn into one of those slimy things too?!" he panicked.

"No no no! You will not, I assure you! _At least you I hope you don't_" she silently thought.

"But how is this even possible?!"

"…I don't know and this is pure guessing on my part, but I believe it's when you struck that vile entity with your claws when you were Levon. You physically defeated it instead of using your words. Maybe some of its essence entered into your body, either then or when it latched onto you all those other instances. _Please let that be the reason…it just has to be!_" she silently added.

"Oh great…" Steven lamented.

"Hey now, we can view this as a blessing. Remember, you are in essence a walking version of that underground spring. But instead of just absorbing their negativity, you can get to the root of somebody's problem, resolve it and prevent it from reoccurring by helping them stand on their own."

"Just like how you did for me! Cool! Now I'm like you!" he excitedly said.

"…In more ways than you could ever realize" she commented.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Now back to the situation at hand. I truly believed you entered into Amethyst's mind similarly to how those creatures can enter into someone else's mind when-"

"They leave a crack open because they're full of stinkin' thinkin'! Then that means Amethyst is in trouble! I have to help her!"

"Steven wait! You can't go rushing in there without a plan. Now calm down…and you might want to grab those chairs now."

"Huh?"

* * *

"STEVEN! ARE YOU OKAY?!"

"Oh! YEA DAD! I'M FINE! I'M COMING!" He quickly grabbed the two purple folding chairs that were laying up against the shed wall as well as the medium-sized, foldable, circular grey table.

"_Huh…guess I'm not as weak as I thought I would be after all that_" he thought as he walked to the front of the car wash while hoisting the three items up as if they were as light as his bear bears.

"I'm here dad! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry" he apologized as Greg grabbed the table.

"It's alright son. Sorry for startling you. I just didn't see you out there" he explained as they set up the outdoor eating area. "Gotta say though, I'm glad you got the pep back in your step. Now you relax for a bit and soak up some vitamin D. It'll be another minute before breakfast is ready" he said as he quickly went back inside before their meal burnt.

Steven did as he was told and sat on the chair. However…that chilling realization of his best friend's well-being didn't allow him to relax. "Hey Navi? D-do you have a plan?"

"I might…but you'll need to tread cautiously. Based on the details of the environment you described, I believe the first part of your dream was the state of your own mind – how you newfound independence was such a liberating experience and a wondrous discovery. I conclude that that nirvana manifested itself when you found out all those stalactites and stalagmites were different variations of rock candy. What do you think?" she asked.

"I…I think you're right. Just enjoying everything, discovering new flavors and thinking about how much fun everyone could have was awesome! …Until it got dark."

"And that's when you said Amethyst's name correct?"

"Yea, that's right" he confirmed.

"Then that must've been when the mind transfer occurred. You also said that it took some time for you to find her. That's not a good sign."

"Why not?"

"Your father said it best – she tends to deal with these kind of situations herself. She's a proud gem and she doesn't want anyone to see her weak. That was the basis of the explanation she gave you for wanting to fight against her "complete" counterpart in a one-on-one duel. She puts on this mask to display confidence even though she doesn't have any. It's nearly identical to how you would put on your "happy" mask in order to make sure no one left you" she explained.

"So you think she's afraid that we'll leave her if we see her as not being perfect? But I told her-"

"That's you're all hot dogs. I know. But as you've said before, fear has a way of sucking all the common sense and hope out of people. I can't say for sure that abandonment is her worst fear, but I believe her struggle has to do more with perceived body image. The diamond wall that impeded your progress lit up yellow, blue and white correct?"

"Yes?"

"That's no coincidence. I'm quite sure Typhon's minions are planting those voodoo pins in her mind that she must live up to the Diamond's standard. That's why I said we have to tread cautiously. If you were to run up to her and tell her that you and the rest of the gems love her for who she is, that could be seen as an act of pity. And for a proud gem like her-"

"She won't believe it…and it might make her feel her worse" Steven finished.

"Exactly…especially if she hears it from you."

"Me? What's wrong with hearing it from me?" he asked.

"Your status and exponential growth…which is quite the conundrum since all the gems wanted you to get stronger so you could help them out on missions in the first place."

"What's a conundrum?" he asked.

"Basically a conflicting puzzle. They wanted you to get stronger yet at the same time they didn't want you to. Or more specifically Amethyst didn't want you to. Or I should say that she doesn't like the fact that you are" she explained.

"What?! Why? All I want to do was to protect them and that's **really** real now!" he confirmed.

"I'm so glad to hear that untied attestation. Now as I was saying, you're basically at the top of the hierarchy as opposed to being the rookie on the team. **You're a diamond**. And to hear that truthful declaration about how she's loved for who she is from you may make it appear that you're looking down on here…hence the pity."

"Oh…then what do I do?"

"Hmmm…there needs to be some kind of resonating trigger. Something that'll show her that she's loved by someone outside of your family. To show that she is important so that'll boost her self-worth and get rid of those disgusting creatures. But what?"

"Hmmmm…"

* * *

"TA-DA! Breakfast is served!" Greg's announcement startled the young boy out of his thoughts, causing him to flinch in his chair.

"Here we go bud! A big ol' mountain of deliciousness" he beamed as he set down a sturdy white paper plate with an intricate purple and gray zig-zag line design. It was filled to capacity with five pippin' hot waffles dripping with melted butter, whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Steven drooled at the sight as the delicious aroma hit his nose.

"Is…is all that for me?" he asked.

"You got it Stu-ball. I figured you'd be practically starving since you haven't really eaten anything. I mean you have, but nothing like what I'm used to seeing. But I guess I got a little carried away. It's not good to eat so much in one sitting, so ease into it okay? I don't want you to have a belly ache too" he warned.

Steven put his palms together and slightly bowed. "Thank you for this food" he quietly praised. He opened his eyes, grabbed the clear plastic fork and knife and cut into the delicious tower.

"_Can't think on an empty stomach"_ he thought as he placed three fluffy slices into his mouth. "Mmmmmm! Theef erf greet dah!" he muffed out through his stuffed mouth.

Greg chuckled and replied, "Glad to see I haven't lost my touch. Would you like some apple juice or OJ?"

"Abble **gulp** apple please" he clearly articulated.

"Comin' right up" he said before disappearing into the van.

A moment later her reappeared with two bottles. "Here you go son."

"Thanks dad" Steven replied as he twisted the blue cap off and took a big gulp of the delicious beverage to help wash the food down his throat. "Aren't you going to eat something too?"

"I already did. I got a couple of bear claws when I woke up this morning. And I knew that you'd be hungry too whenever you decided to wake up. And I wanted to make you something special, so I went to the store and got the waffle makin' supplies" he explained.

"Wait…what time is it?" Steven asked.

Greg reached into his pocket, pulled out his cell phone and swiped his finger on the screen. "About a quarter past twelve" he answered.

"It's that late?! It's lunchtime!" he exasperated.

"You can eat whatever food you want at any time you want" Greg sagely spoke…until he remembered the very lengthy nutrition lecture Dr. Mashrawen gave him and consequences of doing that. "Except dessert items for breakfast and so long as it's in moderation" he followed up.

"Yea, I guess that's true" Steven acknowledged as he continued to eat.

"Yea…sometimes you wouldn't wake up at all some days. And even though your body was resting, it still had to do its basic bodily functions. Especially after having a liter of water enter your veins through an IV" he explained.

"…_That explains why I was wearing a diaper"_ he muttered as his cheeks became a nice rosy red color.

"Steven? Are you okay?"

"Yea! I'm fine. It's just…um…well…I left the um…you know" as he pointed to his groin area. "I put it in a bag and everything so it wouldn't smell! I'll take out the trash I promise!"

Greg chuckled and said, "Steven, you don't need to be embarrassed. If anything it reminds me of the old days when you were a baby. And don't worry about cleaning up. After all I clean for a living. Well, cars anyway" and that got a few laughs out of his son.

"**But" **

Steven ceased his chuckling when his father's tone turned serious.

"Taking care of an infant is one thing, but taking care of an incapacitated child is another thing entirely. The gems told me about the cluster, your negativity absorbing abilities and subsequent dark transformations. I'm sorry son…but I have to keep you above ground. I know you want to help but-"

"Dad, it's okay. I know I can't help them on this mission. I…I didn't understand at the time, but now I do." Steven replied.

"…Steven" Greg muttered as he walked in front of him, kneeled down and gently embraced him. After a while he released him and stared at him through his moist pupils. "You have to promise me three things. **No matter what.**"

"O-Okay." he agreed.

"First is to never take on more than you can carry. **Literally and figuratively**. Let others help you if they can. Second…please please please **do not** belittle yourself. You **do not** need to live up to anyone else's standard. You create your own standard based on how you love yourself and always know that I love you. Third and most importantly…**live**. I-If anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do. You and your mother" he emphasized by touching his gem underneath his shirt. "Are all I have left. I'll never be comfortable with you doing all this magic stuff…one of the occupational hazards of being a gem I guess. But I'll support you no matter what. If anything it'll make all the moments we spend together all the more precious to me."

Steven gave a single nod and said, "I promise. Don't worry dad."

"You're right. Worrying is the belief in the worst possible outcome and that's not going happen with you around little man" he smiled as he ruffled his son's curly hair.

Steven giggled at his caresses until all that laughing caused him to moan again in pain. "Man…this sucks. Sorry I said sucks."

"You don't have to apologize kiddo, it does suck. But at least you're up and about. And…if you don't mind me asking, did you happen to see your mother while you were asleep?"

Steven shook his head and said, "No, I was just sleeping. She said I could only see her if I'm in a life or death situation. I guess this was just a regular injury."

"_As regular as you can get for a gem anyway" _Greg thought before replying, "I see. Well in that case I'm glad you didn't see her. Wait no that came out wrong! I meant that I'm glad it didn't get to that point."

"Yea me too. That would've really sucked" he added. "_I wonder how she would react to seeing everything that's happened since I went to the desert spring. Well…my body won't be beaten up like that again anytime soon"_ he thought before digging back into his brunch. He polished off his stack of waffles in record time as well as two bottles of apple juice.

"Yep, I was right. You were hungry. Would you like another stack?" asked Greg.

"No thank you, I'm **burrrrp** - e_xcuse me – _stuffed" Steven extenuated by patting his plump belly.

"That's good" Greg said relieved. "Alright, let me just clean up and close the wash down for my lunch break, since it's already past noon. Then you and I are going to pick up a special commission" he beamed as he threw Steven's plate in the trash.

"What's a commission?" Steven asked as he folded up his chair.

"You'll see" he sing-songed as he grabbed the chair from him, put the pair underneath one arm and placed the folding table underneath the other one. He carried the items back to the shed while Steven got back in the van, sat in the re-upholstered passenger seat and buckled his seat belt.

"_Comfy"_ he thought as he watched his dad through the side window as he pulled the shutters down over the entrance and exit of the wash.

"And that's that" Greg said to himself when he locked the front door and hung a little clock sign saying "Be Back at 1:30." He got in the driver's side, sat down, buckled his own seat belt and started the car. Soon a pleasant melody with an underlying fresh and funky beat erupted out of the surround sound speakers.

"Hey dad? Who's this?" Steven asked as they backed out and drove towards the residential area of the city.

"One of the greatest bass players that ever played, Baron "Big Cat" Davis. He's been paired with a lot of famous musicians and singers like Prince, Chuck Strawberry, MJ, George Rinton and many more. I always love listening to his instrumental albums, it's my calming music. And it's such a shame that today's music doesn't have that proper bass foundation anymore; it's all synthetic with no feeling at all. I mean they're starting to get back it now but it'll never be like how it was when he played. Oh man, I remember I went to a Jimi Trendrix concert when I was about your age and they did a duet that was simply amazing! It was like heaven in your ears! Man it was awesome! Unfortunately it was a one-time thing before Jimi died a couple months later. I would've loved to hear it again. In fact, it was because of that concert that I wanted to be musician. But things didn't work out like I expected. It turned out even better than I could've hoped" he smiled as he ruffled his son's head.

Steven giggled at that and said, "He sounds amazing! Is he still playing?"

"Not anymore; he's been out of the music scene for a while. Almost twenty-five years. No one knows why he stopped all of a sudden."

"_Hmmm…weird. Why would someone as great as him just quit?_" Steven contemplated. But he was taken out of his thought when his dad announced, "We're here."

"What? Already?"

"One of the perks of living in a small town" Greg replied as he parked the van along the curb.

"_Wonder who lives here?_" Steven thought as he gazed upon the house. It was a two story home with a teal painted wooden shuttered exterior design and umber brown sloping roofs. In front, or in this case the back since they parked in front of the tarp-covered garage, has a marvelous array of nicely trimmed circular bushes with magenta roses.

"Uh…dad? Shouldn't we ring the doorbell?" Steven asked as both of them got out of the van and walked side by side up the driveway.

"It's okay Steven, Vidalia and I go way back. I used to drop in all the time" Greg assured as he gently lifted the light blue tarp.

"Still…isn't this trespassing? And who's Vidalia?"

"**I'm Vidalia"** another light raspy voice spoke as the barrel of a shot gun was pointed right at Greg's face. The owner of the gun was middle-aged woman with a few wrinkles around her eyes and the same color complexion as Onion. She was wearing brick red slippers, blue overalls, a white t-shirt and a long teal overcoat with the sleeves rolled up. Her blonde hair was done up in the shape of an onion bulb which complemented her face perfectly…if she wasn't scowling at the two intruders.

"You should've listened to your boy…_Greg_" she said with narrowed eyes.

Greg gulped when she cocked the wooden fore-end and stuttered "H-Hey V-Vidalia c-c'mon it's just like old times r-right?"

"Oh, you mean like how you would basically freeload off of me?" she asked.

"Umm…well…I mean I was young and stupid…and broke…and-?!" **SHIIINNNNNG**

Greg was startled out of his pathetic excuse train when a pink barrier enveloped him.

"What the?!" Vidalia voiced Greg's surprised countenance. Both of them looked down and saw Steven's petrified face. His pupils were wide and he was breathing quickly though his nose, as if the strain of using his shield was rapidly draining his energy.

"Oh…oh sweetie it's okay! It was just a joke! I'm not going to hurt your dad, I promise! It's empty, see?" she assured as she crouched down to his level and showed him the empty bullet compartment. It took a couple of seconds for Steven to register that it was safe and he lowered his shield.

"I was just getting back at your dad for all those times. I heard you guys outside and figured it'd be the perfect set-up" she explained.

"…Fair enough. I see some of Amethyst's antics are still in you" Greg commented.

"Well, we were quite the troublemakers back in the day" Vidalia said but her mischievous disposition disappeared when Greg gave her a small glare. "Although…in retrospect it was kinda messed up, **especially** after everything you went through. I'm…I'm sorry. Here, let me start over. My name is Vidalia and it's great to see you again Steven" she smiled warmly.

"H-How do you know me?" he asked.

"Well like your dad said, he and I go way back. Although you could stand to knock you know" she said giving him a small glare.

"I-I'll make sure to do that from now on" Greg nervously promised.

"And when you were a baby, I used to baby sit you sometimes with my own little troublemaker" she explained.

"Troublemaker?" Steven repeated. As soon as he said that, another little boy emerged from up under the tarp – one that he knew all too well.

"Ah here he is now" Vidalia announced as her youngest son clutched her leg.

"YOU'RE ONION'S MOM?!" Steven shouted.

"Sure am" she answered as she scooped him up and took some scissors out of his hands.

"…_This explains so much"_ he thought.

"And Steven, he absolutely loves talking about you" she added.

"Heheh…yea" he nervously laughed as Onion's gaze was firmly locked onto him.

"Well, I bet you guys are here to pick up your commission" Vidalia guessed and Greg nodded his head.

"I can't wait to see it!" he beamed.

"Then what're we waiting for?" she replied as she lifted the tarp up so they could all enter her garage. The left wall of the tan colored area was lined with shelves that were neatly organized with an array of paint cans and spray bottles. Off to the right were at least a dozen canvases leaning against one another. But in the center of the room was a large, burnt-orange wooden easel with an equally massive, yet oddly shaped canvas that had a green cloth draped over it. Vidalia set her son down then turned to the Universe duo and asked, "Are you guys ready?"

"YEA!" Steven shouted for them as stars appeared in his eyes.

"Alright, but first a quote, "_The flower that blooms through adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all"_ That's why I entitled this piece" She quickly removed the cloth and revealed an absolutely stunning aesthetic creation. "**Concrete Rose."**

"Whooooooaaaaa" the Universe men marveled.

The circular canvas had a brilliant portrait of Rose Quartz cradling Steven in her arms with a subtle pink overlay…almost as if they were inside his gem! And they had their signature wide grin. But surrounding the gem was a gray, cracked barrier with tiny thorns poking through it as well as colorful stones. When Steven got closer to it, he immediately got the meaning.

"_Gem shards"_ he realized then looked at Vidalia with a worried look in his eyes.

"Don't worry Steven. They're regular, non-living geode pieces. You can thank Onion for finding all the different colors" she explained as if she read his mind.

Steven looked at the silent boy who was fiddling around with the end of his sweater sleeves. Although he wasn't surprised at the demolition Onion did in order to get the shards, he was nonetheless grateful that he helped create such a beautiful and intimate artistic conversation.

"Thank you" he smiled. Onion actually showed a small smile in return and gave a slight nod.

On the right side where Rose was were an array of odd shaped mini canvases that kinda resembled rose petals and they connected to one another. As Steven nearly pressed his face up against it to drink in every detail, he saw that each petal depicted a different scene. One had his mom, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl in a group hug. Another had her being super stoic with her sword and shield, but her dress was tattered and she was in a hazy battle scene.

"_That one looks like the Ber Ber tree canyon"_ he realized when saw the familiar landscape in one of the petals.

But the one that really stood out was an insignia with a yellow, blue, white, and pink diamond – but the pink diamond was broken at the end. "_I wonder what that means?"_ he thought as he looked at the other scenes.

Some pictures depicted planets of different galaxies, her shield with her sword, and Rose's fountain all dried up with surrounding gems contained in bubbles.

"…_Regret"_ Steven surmised. But his forlorn countenance morphed into a giddy one when he saw what was in the petal closest to Rose.

"Hey dad! There's you singing at your concert!" he pointed out. It was a much younger version of his dad rocking the sleeveless black shirt with a yellow star on it and blue jeans. His long wavy locks appeared as though it was fluttering with the star dust background.

"Heh, yea. Thanks for making me look so glamourous" Greg said with a blush.

"Well, you were hot back then" Vidalia commented with a smirk.

"Huh? Back then? What am I now?" he asked.

"Hmmm…you're…**seasoned"** she replied.

"Seasoned?" he repeated.

"Yea, let's go with that" she grinned.

"…I guess I can take that" Greg replied as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Dad, what does seasoned mean?"

"It means…experienced. Usually experience that comes as you get older" he explained.

"Oh! then you must be seasoned with Cajun spice and chocolate!" Steven replied.

"Cajun spice and chocolate?" both of them asked.

"Yea! All rock stars have a kick to'em and your super sweet like chocolate cake" he explained.

Greg absorbed his explanation and smiled. "Yep, I'll definitely take that!" he praised as he ruffled his hair.

"Heh, he's definitely your son Greg. Comes up with crazy stuff that somehow makes perfect sense. Can't wait to see what he looks like when he's your age" Vidalia laughed.

Steven went back to looking at the portrait and the mini pictures that were connected to his side. He saw his dad and mom together with Greg's hand on top of her round belly with big smiles on their faces – just like what he saw in the video from Lion's mane. There were other pictures of him making sand castles, summoning his shield, surrounded by cookie cats, being a lion cub with Lion, having a slumber party with his extended family and a star with all of the colors of the gems. But one that really stood out was him surrounded by menacing, multi-formed shadows.

"…_Dark transformation_" he whispered.

Then he asked Vidalia, "H-How do you know about-"

"When your dad came to me with the request for a new portrait since my other one got destroyed-"

"Wait…**you** painted that picture of my mom?!" he interrupted.

"I sure did and I was honored to do it. Anyway I asked him what he had in mind. All he said was that he wanted to show that something beautiful could still thrive no matter the circumstances around them. That's how I got the idea for the rose petals and the geode shards. It's doesn't matter if you're human, a magical space rock or a combination of the two, everyone's life has its rough spots. _Believe me I know_. But it's how we persevere through them that we're able to make something extraordinary" she explained as she brought Onion closer to her.

"Wow Vidalia…that was beautiful" Greg sniffed.

"Don't get all sappy on me Greg. It comes with being an artist and having lots of life experience. I just…really connected with this piece y'know?" she replied and he nodded in understanding.

Just then another figure entered through the tarp. "Hey mom I'm back…Hey Steven, Mr. U." Sour Cream said without missing a beat.

"Hey Sour Cream…wait…you're Sour Cream's mom too!?" Steven asked Vidalia.

"Sure am. And before you ask, that's it. I don't have any other kids" she replied.

"Cool, I didn't know you and Onion were brothers!"

"Well…technically step-brothers but we're a family all the same" Sour Cream replied.

"…_Huh. Just like me and Lion"_ Steven realized as Sour Cream went up to the portrait.

"This is what Mr. U asked you to do mom?" he asked.

"More or less. I had to exercise my creative license a bit and I had some help from the gems. That's how I knew about what happened to you and some of the stuff from Rose's past" Vidalia answered both Sour Cream's present question and Steven's previous one.

Sour Cream stared intently at it and praised, "Sweeeet…I can totally rave to this."

"Uh…is that good?" Greg whispered to Vidalia.

"It is" she smiled.

"I'll check you guys later, I got to work on my new mix" he said.

"Awesome! I can't wait to hear it" Steven replied. Sour Cream smiled and gave a little two finger salute before going through the house door.

"So I take it you two like it?" she asked.

"Like it? WE LOVE IT! Right dad?" Steven asked.

"Right Stu-ball. This'll be the perfect house-warming gift" he added.

"House warming?"

"Yea, that's the second part of your surprise. The gems stopped by about three days ago and let me know that the house was fixed, but you stayed with me until you were all better and until the portrait was done" he explained.

"Oh it's not done" Vidalia said.

"Huh?" both of them asked.

"There are more petal canvases" she explained as she pointed to a nice sized stack in the corner.

"No kidding! It looks like there are at least fifty" Greg observed.

"There might be, I don't know. They were only a penny each since it was on clearance down at the art store, so I got the whole bin. Anyway while the main portrait is done, I can paint any other mini portraits you want and attach'em to it. I modified them so that there's a little hook insert on each one, kinda like a puzzle. Pretty soon you'll have a wall-sized mural. Or a ceiling mural like the Sistine Chapel, whatever floats your boat" she explained.

"Coooool! It's like a giant scrapbook!" Steven marveled with starry eyes.

"Huh…I guess it is. And don't worry Greg, the price is still the same. I just thought it'd be a cool addition" Vidalia assured.

"And it is an amazing addition! Thank you so much Vidalia" Greg smiled.

"No problem. Like I said, I really connected with this piece. C'mon let's get it loaded into your van. Well…that is if there's any room in there" she joked.

Greg chuckled and replied "Don't worry, there's plenty of room in there now."

"Yea! We hang out all the time! Maybe you and…Onion can join us" Steven added.

"…_Heh. Been there, done that"_ she said under her breath before merely nodding at the idea.

"Alright, give me one sec to back up into the drive way" and with that Greg left the garage.

"Is there anything you need me to do?" Steven asked.

"That's alright Steven, you've done your share of heavy lifting. **Seriously**. Let the boys handle it. In fact…Onion can you get your brother for me please? We'll need his help." Onion gave a curt nod at his mother's request and stared at the Steven for a few seconds before exiting through the door.

"Okay then" he said and moved towards the right side of the room so he wouldn't be in the way.

"Hmm? Mrs. Vidalia?"

"You don't have to add the "Mrs." Steven. It makes me sound old" she corrected.

"Oh, sorry. Um, did you paint these too?" he asked as he pointed at the stack of canvases leaning up against the wall.

"Sure did. They're some of my most prized works" she fondly said before the cutoff sound of an engine signaled that Greg was done with move.

He peeked his head underneath the tarp and sheepishly said "Uh…actually give me a couple minutes to rearrange some stuff. Can't be too careful."

"Whatever you say Greg" she replied with a smirk. He gave her a thumbs up and went back outside to make sure that nothing could damage the painting.

Curiosity got the better of the younger Universe and he flipped through the stack. But what he saw stupefied his senses. There were dozens of portraits of his purple sister!

"Is…is that Amethyst?" he asked to confirm his suspicions.

"Huh? Oh yea, it sure is! She was my favorite model" she replied.

"Was?"

"I haven't seen her in a long while. She didn't even come by when the rest of your family came over and gave me descriptions for each petal scene."

"…Oh" Steven sadly replied. He grabbed a photo off of one of the portraits and studied it. Both of them were so much younger. Vidalia had magenta eye shadow and showed a "rock on" sign coupled with her tongue sticking out. She was using a curling iron to give Amethyst some curls that kinda looked like Rose's hairstyle. She had the biggest grin on her face.

"_She looks so happy"_ he thought before Vidalia walked over and looked over his shoulder.

"Heh…we sure were a couple of trouble makers back in the day" she recalled. "Funny how time can fly without you even knowing it."

"How did you two meet?" he asked.

"We started hanging around each other while you dad was off with you mom. Heh, she always kept following me around. Was down for anything…never **afraid **anything. I gotta be honest…I was a bit shocked when Garnet said that that last fight messed her up and she needed some space. I…I just didn't think that could actually happen to her. Now this is probably gonna sound crazy but…I really wanted to be **just like **her. She inspires me, y'know? In fact some of those paintings are new. This one right here."

It was a profile head portrait of her; her long locks looked like they were flowing along with a gentle breeze.

"I finished last week. Whenever things get crazy here, sometimes I just think of her and how she could just roll with it. She still helps me get through the tough times…even when she's not here. Kinda like how you help your family with your quirky, lovable self" Vidalia smiled as she ruffled his hair.

But Steven's thought train was traveling at the speed of sound before an idea as bright as a supernova exploded within his mind. "_THIS IS IT!" _he internally exclaimed before asking, "Vidalia! Can I borrow one your Amethyst pictures please?! Pretty please?!"

"H-Huh? Sure I gue-"

"THANK YOU!" he happily interrupted before she had chance to finish her confirmation. With one of the paintings firmly in hand, he ran out of the garage like a silver bullet.

"What the?!" Greg exclaimed as the tarp fluttered in the air. "What happened?" he asked as he went inside the garage.

"I don't know! Steven saw my portraits of Amethyst and the next thing I know he runs off with one" Vidalia explained.

"Wait…that was Steven?! How could let him run off like that!?" he demanded.

"I didn't let him do anything! He just did it! And c'mon you can't expect me to catch someone that fast! He was running like he stole something. And for the record he didn't – he did ask. And I thought Onion was quick. What in the world have you been feeding him?!"

"Nothing out of the ordinary…wait…what am I saying?! I gotta find him before he hurts himself! Did you see which way he went?"

"_**Seriously**_?" she said with a deadpan look.

"Right right he was too fast."

"Hmm…well he ran off after I told him how Amethyst kinda helps me out, like how he helps his family out" she explained.

That's when the light bulb went off in Greg's head. "He's going home! He's gonna talk to Amethyst! Oh man what if he uses that absorbing power and gets hurt!? He just barely woke up!"

"He won't."

"What?!"

"Look. Based on what Garnet told me, and you **know** cryptic she can be, it sounds like Amethyst is really jacked up in the head. If Steven's got an idea on how to help her, I say let's see how it plays out. No matter what happens at least she'll know that no matter what she'll always have someone in her corner…that she won't be abandoned" she bitterly added but Greg understood the hidden connotation.

"…Vidalia I-"

"Greg…it's okay. It was my decision. A stupid one but mine nonetheless. I don't care where that fool is. I know Yellowtail has my back…even if he and Sour Cream get into it a lot. I know it'll all turn out alright in the end" she assured.

"_Yea…and this experience will have a great ending" _he thought before releasing a heavy sigh.

"…Alright. I'll back off and let him do his thing. Like you said, "The flower that blooms through adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." Time to let his own rose grow…but I'm still tailing him!"

"No you're not" she refuted.

"What?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"Are you out of yours? You just said you'll back off and let him do his thing! Look, I get it. I'm a parent too y'know. No one wants their child in danger, but Steven's no ordinary kid! You know that! I mean he's overcome so much more than anyone probably has in their lifetime. All on his own! I don't know two cents about all this magic stuff but if he was able to beat that" she extenuated by pointing at the mini portrait of the dangerous shadows surrounding him "I'm betting on him all the way."

"I know, **I know!** GAAH!" he groaned in frustration as he slid his hands down his face. "Vidalia…I just got him back. I-I can't lose him again" he nearly choked out.

She put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a soft, reassuring smile. "Greg, you won't. Trust me on that. He knows his limits and I'm one hundred percent sure he doesn't want to be stuck in bed again. I know you don't like it…but he's the only one that can do this. All you can do is believe in him. Can you do that?"

Greg wiped the mist forming in his eyes and nodded. _"She's right. Fear is thinking that the worst possible outcome will happen. His rose can't wilt…it __**won't**__ wilt."_

"Thanks Vidalia…I needed that."

"Anytime" she smiled.

Suddenly Onion and Sour Cream finally showed up. "Sorry mom, I just really had to fine tune this note before I lost the flow. Hey? Where's Steven?" the elder brother asked.

"He went on ahead to look for a perfect place to hang up the picture. But actually…let's hold off on loading it. I just got an idea for another mini portrait."

"What is it?" asked Greg.

"**Steven wearing a crown**. I can't think of a better benevolent king" she explained.

Greg smiled and replied, "Neither can I."

* * *

**What plan does Steven have in mind and will he be able to enact it before it's too late? And what's Navi hiding from him? Tune in for the next part of "Another Part of Me."  
**

**For everyone in the US, I hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving and I'm truly thankful for everyone for their support on this story as well as some of the stuff going on in my personal life. And speaking of, I passed my test! I'm now a certified personal trainer!**

**Also...I'll never look at fruit or fruit juice in general the same way ever again thanks to biology class. :P.**

**I hope you guys like the idea of the new portrait. I'm hoping to have some of my own art on tumblr or something by the beginning of next year but we'll see. Check you later!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.**


	43. Chapter 43

**Warning: there's a 99% chance you might cry. I did.  
**

**Songs:**

**1\. "Through Heaven's Eyes" The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack**

**2\. "Flaws" Kierra Sheard**

* * *

Once again the warm coarse sand served as a blank canvas – the fleet-footsteps of the determined lad being the expeditious, sketchy brushstrokes. Thankfully it was low tide so the marks as well as their silent declaration wouldn't be erased anytime soon. Steven was definitely a boy on a mission; he could've easily beaten the world's one hundred-meter dash record ten times over the way he was running. But all that exertion caught up to him after he climbed up the stairs and reached his house deck.

"_Huff…huff…huff…whoooa…head rush_" he wheezed as he grabbed his forehead and leaned against the newly repaired screen door.

"Steven, are you alright?!" asked the concerned voice taking residence within his mind.

"Yea, I'm fine. But this is awesome! I didn't know I had super speed too! I really am like that blue hedgehog!"

"That you do, and it's quite impressive that you reached another level so quickly – especially considering the condition you were in. Although…in retrospect you should've told your father what you were up to" she pointed out.

"What? Told dad? …Aw jeez you're right! I hope he's not freaking out!"

"I'm pretty sure he is. Not only because of his natural fatherly instincts, but you did just wake up fully recovered…more or less. Although…on the flip-side he knows that you have inborn abilities that'll rectify this situation better than anyone else."

"Yea…yea you're right! But…how did I awaken my super-speed?" he asked.

"Emotional clarity. You wanted to get this portrait over to Amethyst and tell her what Vidalia told you fast, quick and in a hurry correct? Well, your gem responded to that. And you can also thank your **quartz** make-up for your newly awakened ability as well" Navi replied.

"Huh? Quartz? I thought I was a diamond" he confusedly countered.

"You are but…" and her voice trailed off.

"…Navi?" Steven called out when he didn't hear her after a couple of seconds.

"No…never mind. I'll explain later. It's a bit…**complicated**. Or your mother would probably be more suited to tell you…if she can acknowledge that part of her past that is. But I digress…_again_. Seems to be a habit of mine. Anyway, first things first. While I wholeheartedly agree that Vidalia's painting is crucial for breaking Typhon's hold over Amethyst, what exactly is your plan?" she asked.

"Uhhh…I was just going to show her the picture" Steven hesitantly answered.

"Hmmm…I think you should save that for later. Typhon has a way of twisting words around to further bring someone down into the depths of their swirling, self-deprecating despair." she advised.

"…That's true" he realized when he remembered that was same thing that happened to him during the dark transformations.

"You'll have to remove the pins first. And don't worry Steven, everything will work out now that you're on the job."

"Right. I got this." He took a deep breath to steel his nerves. "Don't worry Amethyst, I'm coming" he whispered to himself as he opened the door.

"Wooow" he marveled.

"Indeed" Navi agreed.

One would've never guessed that a rampaging fusion destroyed everything in sight given the pristine condition of the house. But there were subtle differences, with each gem giving their own aesthetic touch. A lime green comforter adorned his bed and it was complimented with memory foam pillows covered with sky-blue pillow cases. His stuffed pink lion was situated on top and appeared to be taking full advantage of the plushy comfort. Rust-colored couch cushions now adorned the wooden seat frame instead of white ones. There was circular cherry-wood table in the living room area on top of a rectangular, fluffy gold-colored rug. The bar counter top was now a rain-forest brown marble top with dispersed black stripes. Even the laminate bamboo floor boards had little dark streaks in them…almost where he gashed the floor with his claws. But everything was still the same infrastructure wise…except for a stray piece of red paper sticking out of the shutter closet door.

"What's this?" he asked himself as he felt the coarse material and pulled on it a bit. "Huh…it long. Wait a sec…it's a streamer! They were going to decorate!" he realized and immediately pushed it back in.

"I didn't see anything. I didn't see anything. I didn't see anything" he chanted so he could block it out. He didn't want to ruin their surprise for him. "Okay, outta sight outta mind. Now back to Amethyst" he said to himself as he approached the gem door. Instinctively the pink colored stone on the star insignia glowed its signature hue before morphing into a rose, allowing the young heir inside.

"Thank you door" he said as it closed behind him, leaving him surrounded by the serene landscape of pink clouds. However in this tranquil setting Steven clutched his gem and let out a small grunt when a familiar sensation coursed through his body. "Ugggh…w-what was that? It felt…**wrong.** Hey Navi? Do you know what that was?"

"…I do. And we **will** make it work in our favor" she declared as if she was trying to convince herself.

"Huh?" he said.

"Steven, please don't be alarmed…but it seems as though being exposed to Typhon's forces also allowed you to sense their energy – almost like how a wolf can smell others of their own pack" she explained. "_At least I can only hope that's the real reason"_ she silently added.

"What?! Wait a sec…if I can I feel it all the way in here, then that means…oh no! I gotta hurry!" he exclaimed before asking, "Room, can you open a way to Amethyst's room please?"

A small patch of clouds moved out of the way, revealing the entrance he desired. "Thank you" he acknowledged as he approached the lavender puddle. "_Hmm…I better bubble this. I don't want it to get ruined_" he thought when he remembered the wavy water highway he accidentally took from Pearl's room.

He encased the painting in a pink bubble and started the countdown. "_Here goes everything! Three…two…one…GO!"_ he internally yelled as he held the bubble and did a cannon ball. But the exit wasn't what he was expecting - he ended up back in his room.

"_What the!?_" This time instead of jumping in, he peeked his head through and lo and behold he was in his desired destination. _"…Weird. It's just like the one in here that leads to the bubble room. At least I won't get too wet"_ he thought. He carefully walked through the aqua portal with the picture in hand and somehow came right side up inside of Amethyst's room. He shook himself dry and wiped the water off of his face so he could see.

However…the sight before him was disturbing to say the least.

Now he knew Amethyst's organizational system was messy, but this went beyond that. It looked like bomb carrier unloaded its deadly cargo onto the hazy domain. Plastic shards, dismantled appliances, shredded newspapers, slashed up mattresses, broken doors and an assortment of destroyed curios littered the gem-studded ground.

"_Wh-what happened?!_" was all he could whisper. But his speculation was cut short when he remembered that time was of the essence! This eerily reminded him of the dangerous terrain that appeared in his dream. And just to add a cherry on top, there was even some broken glass from shattered mirrors. He was about to yell out her name but Navi halted his vocal outburst.

"Steven wait!"

"Why?" he asked.

"In your dream, you said that she didn't answer any of your pleas. The same thing applies here but for different reasons. Like I said before, she's a proud gem. How do you think she'll feel if she knew that you were here and saw the conditions she was living in for stars know for how long? She's still holding onto that small sliver of importance that you still look up to her, regardless of your "rank". The last thing she needs is a pitying, or in her eyes a **condescending** look, from you. That'll absolutely crush her" she explained.

"Then what do I do?"

"Do what Garnet told you to do. **Trust your instincts.** Think about how you first approached Lion and everything will fall into place" and with that her voice trailed off, leaving him to solve this puzzle on his own.

"How I approached Lion? Well...I was scared and I slowly approached him so I wouldn't startle him. Then he let me touch him. …That means I have to slowly approach her and let her open up to me! I can't force anything. But how do I find her if I can't yell out her name? Hmmm…hmmmm…wait a sec. if I could feel those stinkin', slimy things in my room, then maybe I can sense her! Cool! Now I'm like that red echidna when he looks for those emerald shards! Or that aura pocket monster! Okay okay okay gotta focus."

With that he closed his eyes, slowly turned around like a weathervane and tried to sense the dark energy. But it was proving to be difficult since it felt like it was everywhere. "C'mon…c'mon! GUH!" He clutched his abdomen when he felt a huge spike of that corrosive energy. He opened his eyes and saw the path before him. Surprisingly it was the path that was the clearest out of the whole area, but it was still pretty jacked up. "That way" he silently declared as he began his trek, making sure to pop the bubble so he could carry the portrait as is before he accidentally sent it to the bubble room.

* * *

The crunch of the destroyed items underneath his sandaled feet made his stomach churn. And it didn't help his already frazzled nerves when he accidentally kicked a World War II era gas mask and a human skull came out of it. Still he pressed on.

Soon he came upon a clearing with clear, crystal columns of various heights jutting out of the ground. Aesthetically speaking the environment was breathtakingly beautiful, but the recollection of the yellow, blue, and white glowing crystals in his dream didn't allow him to enjoy the scenery. He clutched his gem again and doubled over as if he was about to throw up. "_Almost __there_" he said under his breath as he shakily stood up.

Willing whatever energy he had left, he dashed through the area until he heard the distinct sound of a hiccupping sob. He stopped on a dime and off to his right was an imposing and massive clear crystal wall.

_"…No"_ he thought as he placed his palm on it. All of the similarities to his nightmare were really starting to make him nauseous. And it didn't help matters that the only way inside was at least forty feet up with no way to scale the sheer barrier.

"_How am I gonna get up there!?"_ he thought. "_C'mon, think think think! I wish I had a grappling hook…wait! I do!"_

He lifted his shirt up and looked down at his plant companion. "Rudy, can you help me out please?"

The head end of the plant uncoiled himself and got eye level with Steven. He straightened up in attention and let out a single peep, signaling that he was ready to receive his commands. "Thanks buddy" he smiled as he stroked him. "Do you think you climb up that wall as quietly as you can and hook yourself onto the other side of that hole so I climb up? You can use some of my gem energy if you need to. I'll be fine."

But as soon as he said that last sentence, Rudy emphatically shook his head **"no"**, fully unwrapped himself from around him and burrowed into the lavender tinted soil.

_"R-Rudy?"_ Steven whispered as he peered down the hole. He wasn't sure what to make of that little outburst. "_Rudy! Come back! It's okay if you can't do it! We can find another way" _he pleaded. He dug his slimmer fingers in the dirt and started digging, desperately trying to reach him. But he immediately stopped his excavation once he felt small tremors shake the immediate area. He quickly back away from the hole when a massive vine erupted like a geyser and latched itself to the crystal wall – slowly slithering up until his head threaded through the only way in.

_"…Ohhhhh! That's why you shook head. You didn't want to risk hurting me so you decided to eat the dirt in here!"_ he quietly said when that realization hit his head. Rudy shook his leaves, confirming Steven's assumption. "Did…did it taste good?" he asked. He didn't respond right away. Eventually he got an answer when the leaves along his back sprouted into multiple vines, grabbed him and carried him up like an escalator – almost as if he was telling him don't worry about it.

Once he got to the entrance, he noticed that the hole looked almost identical to Amethyst's emergent hole in the kindergarten. He cautiously peeked his head in (thankfully his smaller frame allowed both of them to fit through) and saw another phenomenal sight.

Along each wall of the cavern were two massive tapestries hanging on some of the jutting crystals. They were in surprisingly pristine condition, especially considering their age. One could've assumed that they were just made. One of them had multiple sun-shaped stars overlapping each other as well as different repeating floral and seed patterns – all blended beautifully with shades of red, gold and blue. There were even little elephants that looked like they were marching around the largest sun in the center of the tapestry.

The other one had a frontal view of a tiger's face dissolving into geometric shapes. But one thing that did stand out was the prominent red gemstone on its forehead. The array of blues and greens meshed beautifully with its orange fur and the piercing chartreuse eyes looked like they were actually staring right at you. Rudy continued to carefully lower him down until he was safely on the floor.

"_It…it almost looks like a throne room" _he concluded as he continued to look up at the ceiling of natural pantheon, without paying any attention to where his feet were going. He nearly jumped out of his skin when his foot accidentally kicked something and it made a clanging noise. After a couple of tense moments of being absolutely still, his finely tuned ears picked up the continued sobbing. He sighed in relief, knowing that he didn't startle her into further sequestering herself into the depths of this room.

He looked down to see what served as the impromptu alarm and saw that it was a tambourine with a tan drumhead, black wooden frame and tarnished brass zils. Then he noticed that there were other items strewn across the floor that amazingly weren't ripped to shreds. Weapons from the strawberry fields, bouncy balls, bags of golden coins, a large Cookie Cat see-through refrigerator (with which Steven sported a big grin and stood there awestruck at the pristine condition of it), large pillows with cases that had ornate crests decorated on them, a giant bronze shield and stuffed animals among the dozens of items.

One animal that stood out in his sight was a black bear with leather, sliver spiked wristbands. He carefully made his way over to the toy and gently picked it up. Waves upon waves of nostalgia hit him like a never ending surf pool as he ran his fingers through its long, newly colored lavender hair; making sure not to accidentally loosen up its red bandana with the white paisley design. He touched the soft fabric as well as the modified frayed ends of its red vest. "Heh…this is **so** much better than the long sleeved shirt and blonde hair. Suits her perfectly" he chuckled. "…And just what I needed!" he realized as he stuck the bear in his pocket – another weapon to combat the darkness.

He even saw the group photo of them in the boat with Garnet punching the shark leaning up against a boulder. There were other boulders of varying sizes along the gem encrusted walls. The wear and tear on them was evident with the numerous cracks and chips, almost as if they had been in a battle. And to further confirm his aesthetic guess, they were aligned in a single file line with the bigger boulders having different time period helmets on top of them…almost as if they were knights in attention. One had a weathered bronze helmet with a tattered row of red horse hair on top. Another boulder was wearing a silver one that almost resembled a square bucket, but it had breathing holes and a gold cross decoration over the eye slit holes. "_I wonder if she got these from the kindergarten too…" _he thought before his sight line focused on the main focal point of the room – and it confirmed his earlier assumption of what this room resembled.

Upon a little raised crystal platform was an intricately carved, large wooden throne; it was almost the size of half the couch. Cotton was poking through the few tears on the golden floral-decorated red cushions. On the sides of it were tall, iron candle holders with three pale yellow candles held on each little platform. Behind the throne was an array of sharp purple crystals jutting out of the ground and arranged in a way that kinda resembled an antique Chinese fan. There were even a trio of wooden, earth-tone colored, elongated face-like masks with eyes that looked like tilted ovals, long noses and supple lips that resembled diamonds. Various designs adorned them, but the one artistic touch they all shared were jagged lines on their large foreheads. "…_Crowns_" he deduced.

"…ngh…nnnh…"

That subdued sound snapped Steven out of his analytical trance and he realized that the sound came from the behind the throne. He carefully walked around the jagged rocks to a little covering and finally found the gem he was looking for…although he desperately wished that it was under better circumstances. He had to contain his gasp when he saw the squalid state she was in. Dozens of broken crystal shards laid as her feet. Her head was on top of her shoulders and her frazzled, dirt covered locks surrounded her shuddering frame.

"_…It…it actually happened. Why couldn't it just be a bad dream?" _he thought as he desperately tried to stifle his tears.

"I'm so sorry Steven. Darkness is…**no**. This isn't what this is. Darkness is a natural beauty found on this planet and others like it. It's the perfect backdrop for other worlds to shine. And a comforting blanket for when it's time to rest. To label this with a dazzling daily occurrence would be an injustice. This is **corruption**. **Corruption of the mind. **It trickles down and in turn affects the rest of the body; there's no way to mask it, as you well know. It's always important to be vigilant lest you succumb to it, whether its Typhon's forces or even negative thinking. For those that fall victim to it, they **need** support. A strong pillar. A doctor if you will – even if they don't ask. Their tongues say "no" but their hearts are pleading for assistance…but many are not in tune with that instinct. And even if they are…they do not have the patience to endure nor listen to their pain" Navi sadly spoke.

"_Well I do_" Steven internally declared as he wiped his eyes and gently called out, "Amethyst?"

Her head immediately snapped up and she turned to face the surprisingly stoic boy with moist pupils. Her cheeks had smudges of purple mud and a trail of clear mucous flowed out of her nostrils down her plump lips. Steven noticed that she had a new outfit consisting of a black tank top with tattered, moth-eaten edges at the bottom. She reverted back to her black leggings but the cut out stars were non-uniform; the star arms were different sizes. And her feet were bare save for the purple soil caking her soles.

For a split second a smile nearly formed on her lips, but that moment was fleeting as a furious scowl overtook her features. She wiped her eyes and nose with her arm and spat, "What are you doing here!? What do you want?!"

"…Nothing" he replied.

She stared at him incredulously through wide eyes and her frown turned into a snarl. She shot to her feet, thankfully missing the sharp barbs around her, and shouted, "DON'T GIVE ME THAT! Why did you come here?! This is my room! My business!"

Steven didn't recoil from her harsh words and replied, "I wanted to see that you were okay. I haven't seen you in a while."

"Oh sure, I'm **just** great!" she sarcastically replied as she rolled her eyes and threw her arms up. "There! Now you see me!" as she gestured to her dirtied body. "**Now get out**."

"Nope" he coolly countered.

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"I **can't** go" he said.

"Like heck you can!" she yelled as she picked him up over her head.

"Wh-Wh-Whoa!" Steven stuttered as he was jostled in her grip. "W-Wait I can't leave because…because" But she stopped in her tracks once she got to the center of the room and looked up at the wall. "…Rudy's blocking the way" he finished. "_Thanks bud!" _he whispered, grateful for the fortunate distraction and blockade.

"OOF!" he grunted when Amethyst dropped him to the ground. "Then tell him to move!" she commanded as she pointed to him.

Rudy lifted his head up and let out a reverberating, "HISSSSSSS!" right in their faces before burying his head into the ground.

"I…I think that means "no" Steven translated. "He must be hungry. And if he's anything like how I was when I was a lion cub, then he gets angry if you try and keep him from eating."

"OF COURSE HE IS! OF COURSE HE **FREAKIN'** IS!" she yelled as she ran her hands through her hair. "You planned this didn't you!?" she accused.

"Nope. Stuff happens" he answered.

"And stop doing that! You're really annoying me!"

"Doing what? I'm just answering your questions" he replied.

"You shouldn't even be here in **my** secret room answering questions! Why didn't you come here **sooner**?!" she cried.

"Sooner? What do you mean?" he asked.

"What? No! I meant…tch forget it!" she quickly dismissed.

"Wait…you don't know?"

"Know what!?" she yelled.

"Amethyst…I've…I've been in **recovery mode for over a week**. I just woke up today" he explained.

A rush of vertigo hit her; she had to grab her forehead and re-steady her feet so she wouldn't collapse. "Wh-what?"

"T-The gems didn't tell you?"

"I-I heard Pearl…but I was hiding here. I didn't want to talk to anybody. But…I don't understand. Why were you in…!" Amethyst stopped her question when she focused on the star on his shirt.

"A-Amethyst?"

"…It was me" she whispered as she looked down at the ground.

"What?" he asked.

"IT WAS ME! IT WAS MY FAULT!" she shouted as tears streamed down her face. "I slashed your chest open! I almost jacked up your heart and your lungs! Then I just pick you up and drop you like it was nothing!? You could've died! Tell me I'm wrong! **Tell me!**" she dared him as she got in his face.

Steven sighed and said, "…It wasn't just that. And see?" as he lifted his shirt up. "You can barely see'em!" he smiled but she just looked at him like he had three heads. His grin disappeared and he took a deep breath. "Let me explain…" and he became a raconteur once again.

"You turned into **Dark Levon**?!" she interrupted.

"Almost did" he corrected. "At the time, I was just so mad that everyone kept the cluster hidden from me that I left an opening for all those stinkin' thinkin' thoughts to come in-"

"Then you shouldn't be here" she interrupted.

"What?" he asked.

"Wait…what am I saying? Of course you should!" she growled. "In fact this whole area should be yours, **my king**!" she bitingly added; she even extenuated that remark with an overly-exaggerated bow.

"What are you talking about?" demanded Steven.

"Don't patronize me Steven! You said you came to check on me! **You came here to sing a little song and make all my problems just magically disappear, didn't you?! DIDN'T YOU!?**" she accused as she got right in his face and touched his nose.

"Do you see a guitar on my back?! I'm still learning about my powers!" he shot back and pushed her hand away, but immediately internally chastised himself – he didn't mean for that to sound so harsh. Even Amethyst recoiled from the unexpected outburst.

She let her head droop a bit; her hair concealing her eyes. "I knew it…you shouldn't be here. I'm **infecting** you. Besides…it doesn't matter" she said as she turned around and stomped back over to the throne.

"What doesn't matter?" he asked as he followed her.

"It doesn't matter what you do! Or what I do! It doesn't change the fact that you're not the _**rookie**_ anymore! You're stronger, faster, and more mature! Heck you even have powers that Rose didn't have! And to top it all off, **you're a got dang diamond**! The best of the best! …Now I'm the worst crystal gem" she explained.

_"…It's just like Navi said"_ he realized. Even so, he wasn't going to let her off the hook. "Wait…so you're mad at me for getting stronger so I could help out? What sense does that make!?"

"GRAAA! Look, it's just how I am alright!? I get mad at myself, and then it just makes me even suckier than I already am" she countered.

"Amethyst-"

"Don't **even** go there" she warned. "You know it's true. I'm not supposed to be small…only a pathetic runt could lose like that."

"Amethyst, she cheated! What she did wasn't fair!" he fired back.

"Oh yea? How was what she did any different than when Jasper used that destabilizer on Garnet?" she countered.

"Then she cheated too!" he said.

"Steven, just stop. You're really pissing me off. **You fight to win** – no matter what! Simple as that!" she yelled. Then she threw some jazz hands up, switched to a giddy countenance and quoted, "They always said, "You can be anything you want to be!" No! I can't! And I'm sick of everyone acting like there's no problem! No matter how hard I try…I just can't be the one thing I'm supposed to be. Jasper used whatever she had to her advantage…just like that other Amethyst. Even without those weapons…I was still outmatched. I only got close to beating her because of **your** plan. I have no advantage because I'm…_**nothing**_" she cried.

Steven absorbed what she said and gently countered, "…But that's not what the crystal gems are all about."

"What?" she asked as she used her arm to wipe her face.

"**You fight protect**. Whether it's the Earth, keeping the corrupted gems safe or even saving television, you fight to protect. And last I checked, **saving lives** is a lot more important than **killing them**. And no matter what the enemy says, no one can ever call you a cheater. I know labels don't' mean anything when your dead, but in the minds of your family you'll always be remembered with honor" he smiled.

"…Steven" she sighed as she crouched down in front of the throne. "Just…stop. Nothing about my life is worth honoring. You'll never understand."

"Of course I understand!" he shouted back, causing her to flinch. "For the longest time…I was trying to be **Rose Quartz**."

He didn't even need to go into detail – just that statement alone caused her to look at him. Everything around them became still. Even the massive plant behind them took his head out of the ground to listen what he had to say.

"It…it took me a while to find something of my **own** life worth honoring…find my **own roar**. We we're both under large shadows…trying to fill it. But we can't and **that's okay**. I'm not going to fit into anyone else's hole anymore. **I'm popping out of my own hole**. Sure it's hard and it can suck sometimes…but it's worth it if I can be **me.** Have my own notepad of what I like and dislike. What I can and can't do. That way I know how I can contribute the best way I can, and even learn from those that have a different move set" he said.

"...Well my notepad is full of _**can't do's**_, so I have nothing to contribute" Amethyst sadly replied.

"So you say" he countered.

"Huh?"

"Who holds both the single and double-team belts in the Beach City Wrestling Federation and came up with the unstoppable Puma Rampage move? Who played games and cracked jokes with me when the rest of the gems were busy with missions? Who snuck me out after my bedtime so we could go to the ultimate Fun Land nighttime extravaganza together? You think that is nothing? It's something worthy of honor in my book" Steven finished.

He noticed how she turned her head away, not out of self-contempt but rather…contemplation. "_The pins…they're in there deep. I wish she was there with all of us that night, but at least she knows that she has someone similar. Who knew it was __**me**__. I mean Amethyst is always so cool and awesome. To think that we were…well masking it never does anything. I just need a little more…but I can't get to the portrait. If Rudy moves then she'll kick me out for good and then it's back to square one! C'mon! Think think think_" Steven thought as he looked around the secret area.

Soon his eyes once again settled on the vibrant tiger tapestry, its chartreuse eyes piercing through his soul. "_The tapestry…the different colors of thread…that's it!"_ he silently exclaimed as lyrics started to generate from deep within his mind.

* * *

"_A single thread in a tapestry, though its color brightly shine  
Can never see its purpose in the pattern of the grand design"_

* * *

Amethyst looked through her one uncovered eye up at the tiger tapestry and floral tapestry in all their splendor – recalling the ornate yet abandoned temple they stumbled upon during one of their missions. It was hidden deep within a lush jungle in the heart of India. To her it seemed to be a waste to let such dazzling pieces be discarded like that…no matter the reason. When she brought them home and showed them to Rose, she'll never forget the way her eyes lit up like stars and said, "My my my! You truly have an eye for art Amethyst! Make sure you take good care of them, promise?" "…_I kept my promise"_ she whispered as Steven continued his next verse when he crouched down near the crystal wall.

* * *

"_And the stone that sits on the very top of the mountain's mighty face  
Does it think it's more important than the stones that form the base?"_

_So how can you see what your life is worth  
Or where your value lies? _

_You can never see through the eyes of __**them  
**__You must look at your life, look at your life through unclouded eyes_

* * *

In an unexpected move Steven picked up the tambourine, filling the hidden hall with an impromptu in- time rhythm…even if his dance moves left a lot to be desired in Amethyst's opinion. Quirky as his moves were, it didn't diminish the smile on his face nor stop him from chanting some made-up mumbo jumbo. Even Rudy joined in on the beat by shaking his head and leaves. Amethyst continued to watch them with a raised eyebrow.

_"…What the heck?"_ she thought as she rested her head on her knees yet still keeping one eye on the crazy kid. Soon Steven danced his way to the pile of gold coins. He picked up a handful and let them drop to the floor as he went into the next verse:

* * *

_A lake of gold in the desert sand is less than a cool fresh spring  
And to a lonely boy, a little gem is greater than the strongest king_

* * *

Amethyst's attention was finally captured when she heard that line. Her head was fully up and saw that Steven was staring right at her. He looked so vulnerable as he clutched the tambourine to his chest…almost like he was pleading with her to never leave. Involuntary tears sprung from her sockets as she watched him walk around the area.

* * *

_If a gem loses everything she owns, has she truly lost her worth?  
Or is it the beginning of a new and brighter birth?_

* * *

She looked down at her hands and clenched them a couple of times, while her tears washed some of the grime away.

_So how do you measure the worth of a gem? In wealth or strength or size?_

Suddenly a bear aged by love appeared in her sight line. She didn't even notice that Steven had walked up to her and gently placed the bear in her hands. He smiled and sang:

_In how much she gained or how much she gave?_

Amethyst ran her supple fingers through the lavender dyed locks and distinctly remembered when this precious token was given to her.

* * *

"Amethis! Amethisss! Amethiss! Open up!" called the seven year old Steven with a gaping hole in his mouth were his front teeth used to be. He kept knocking and knocking until his little fist started getting sore.

Finally the purple circle lit up on the star emblem, causing a matching color gooey line to appear and separate the barrier. "…Steven?" Amethyst groggily asked. She let out a long yawn, stretched her arms up to the air and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Where's the fire bud? And where's your dad?"

"Dad workin' and no fire! I got surprise!" he beamed as he fiddled with the item behind his back.

"You do? Well let's see it Ste-man!" she replied as she tried to get said item from him.

"No no no! Do right! Close eyes first" he commanded through his pouty, puffy cheeks.

"Alright Alright…sheesh" she complied and closed them. "There, eyes closed."

"Hmmm…" Steven walked around her and ruffled the hair on the back of her head.

"Ow! Hey! What're doing?" she demanded.

"No eyes in back of head. Or on back. No cheating" he replied.

"Ugh" she groaned. "Can I see it already?"

He giggled then shouted, "SURPRISE!"

When she opened her eyelids, there was a plush bear nearly shoved into her face. "…What is it?" she asked as she grabbed the stuffed animal.

"Rock star bear bear! I saw it in the ssstore, but I had no money. Dad sssaid he couldn't get it yet cause no busssiness. Then I lose my two teeth when ate a super frozen cookie cat. I usssed the money I got from tooth fairy to buy it for you because it just like you! Long hair, cool clothesss with spiky wrist thingies, and you guys both rock out! And look! I got sticks from the beach so you play drums together!" he smiled as he put the tiny twigs in her other hand.

She felt the black velvet fur and ran her fingers through its blonde locks. She looked up at the bouncy boy then back down at the gift. "You…you used your teeth money to buy this? For me?" she asked.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed but the tone of her disbelieving voice gave him cause to pause. He twiddled his fingers together and asked, "D-Do you like it?"

"No…I don't like it" she answered as she crossed her arms and glared at him.

A huge frown appeared on his face that looked like it would've touched the ground; his sockets looked like it would erupt into mini geysers. Before he could turn around and slough his way through the sand back to the car wash, a huge chuckle came out of her mouth. "I LOVE IT!" she happily shouted as she scooped him up and twirled him around before throwing him up into the air.

A wonderful chorus of laughter and "whoas" filled the shoreline as well as multi-colored aura surrounding them. Thankfully their exuberant celebration wasn't interrupted when Garnet and Pearl warped in onto the scene. If Pearl had a heart it would've gone into cardiac arrest when she saw how high Steven was being thrown.

"Pearl. He's fine" Garnet assured as she held her back. "Let them have their fun. Besides, Amethyst is about to take him back to Greg in 3…2…1"

"Alright little man, let's get you back home to Gr…er I mean your daddy" she decided as she shapeshifted into a large purple "PUMA!" he announced.

"Heh, you know it. I'm glad you didn't say big kitty" she chuckled as she bent down so he could climb on. "Ready Steven?"

"Yea! Go go go!" he cheered.

"Alright! Hang on!" she commanded as she sped down the sand way with a humungous grin etched into her features; her pearly whites gleaming in the midday sun.

* * *

_"…It's been so long since I've felt like that. Being that happy and being able to share it" she thought as she caressed the bear while Steven sat down next to her. "I…I want that again. I don't want this but how can I go back? I don't even deserve it after what I've done"_ she thought as more tears spilled out of her eyes. In the midst of her hiccups, Steven sang a possible solution to her internal conflict:

* * *

_The answer will come, the answer will come to those who try  
To look at their life through unclouded eyes_

_And that's why you share all you have with me, though there's little to be found  
You say you've got nothing, yet there's a lot to go around_

* * *

In a bold move Steven carefully grabbed her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Surprisingly, she returned the grasp even though she wasn't looking at him. He could tell that a million thoughts were flying through her mind, but it still registered for her to open up to him. "_…Just like with Lion!"_ he realized as he increased his vocal volume:

* * *

_No life can escape being blown about by the winds of change and chance  
And though you never know all the steps, you must learn to join the dance  
You must learn to join the dance_

* * *

Feeling a little bit more confidant in the results he was getting, he pulled her up and started spinning her ring-around-the-rosie style while still chanting those made-up, singular syllables. But she abruptly stopped, causing him to halt in place as well.

"_Uh…oh" _he thought as he saw her with her head down. "A-Amethyst I'm-"

Before he even had a chance to finish his sentence, a small giggle morphed into boisterous laughter out of her vocal chords. "D-Dude? What are you even doing?" she asked while catching her imaginary breath.

"H-Huh?" Steven replied as he cocked his head to the side; he wasn't sure how to take that question.

"You gotta go all in when you spin!" she declared as she picked him up over her head and spun around like a light-up top, chanting the same babble he was singing.

"WOOOHOOO! YEA! Hahahhaha" he laughed.

"W-Whoa…too fast…g-getting dizzy" she slurred as she slowly came to a stop. She gently placed him on the ground and he wobbled around himself as he tried to get his bearings.

"Heh…you look like a drunk duck" she chuckled as she fell to the ground. Steven couldn't help but follow suit as he collapsed right next to her. Soon the laughter subsided and they finally took notice of the glimmering skyscape above them. No **yellow, blue or white** to be found. Just multiple shades of violet with a touch of green from Rudy's reflection. Needless to say the area was full of life, even if it was surrounded by inorganic material.

* * *

_So how do you judge what a gem is worth?  
By what she builds or buys?  
You can never see with your eyes filled with dirt  
Look through unclouded eyes  
Look at your life, look at your life  
Look at your life through unclouded eyes_

* * *

He softly sung the last stanza yet it reverberated throughout the room like an echo through a great gorge. They laid there in a comfortable silence for a while, so much so that Rudy hovered his head over them to make sure they were okay. Steven gave him a reassuring pat on the head and he burrowed back down into the ground; the small tremors breaking the stillness.

"What…" she started.

"Hm?" Steven turned his head so he could look at her.

"W-What if I can't?" she hiccupped as the tears started forming again. "All I've ever known is pain and sadness."

"**That's why you can smile**" he countered.

Her eyes got wide when she heard that and looked at him expectantly for him to elaborate.

"You can smile because you've **known** sadness. It's how you train yourself to find happiness, even in the darkest places. Whether inside or outside. But…it's tricky because it can also be a mask and it can crack from all the hard work. That's when you cry. Like any workout you sweat…or at least Connie and I do. It's to keep our bodies cool when we get hot. Crying cools your heart when it lets go of the pain that your lips can't say."

Amethyst absorbed what he said and reflected a bit on what happened over the past few weeks. "…Guess we **all** have a lot of pain we can't say. But it all comes out whether we want it to or not" she commented as she wiped her eyes.

"…Yea" he agreed.

Once again a comfortable silence enveloped them like a cozy blanket.

"Hey Steven?" she said.

"Yea?"

"…**Thank you**. It's…it's been so long since I've felt like this. And from doing crazy, silly stuff. I wonder what oth-"

"It doesn't matter what others think. All that matters is your happiness. And the fact that you can find it out of doing simple things like spinning around or even making weird noises is an amazing gift. It's like…**a po boy**!"

"A what?" she asked when that explanation went way into left field.

"My dad got me this sandwich one time called a po boy, and this one had shrimp! It was so good! Anyway I asked why it was called that and he told me that back then shrimp, lobster, and other seafood were considered poor people food. But they found a way to make something that seemed worthless into something delicious and other people wanted in on it. That's why you're a po boy. By home world standards you may be nothing, but were on Earth. I bet if those gems experienced all the cool things you do with me, just like Peridot, Jasper and Lapis, they'll want in on it every day! And if they don't, then that's more fun for us" he said as he lifted her up in a sitting position. He licked his hand and wiped some of the dirt off of her face.

"You're a protector of **smiles** Amethyst. Because you don't want anyone going through what you've been through. And if that's not worthy of honor…then I'll get a Lion Licker tattoo."

"Pfft! Hahahaha" Amethyst burst out laughing at the absurdity of the idea. Soon the giddy laughter subsided, being replaced by more tears.

"A-Amethyst? Are you-" Steven didn't even have a chance to finish his question before she pulled him into a tight hug. Suddenly a huge burst light enveloped them, shaking the area with a mini earthquake. The resulting noise sounded like a deafening explosion.

Rudy quickly pulled his head out of the ground and got into defense mode. Spikes erupted all over his body and he bared his numerous rows of razor sharp burrowing teeth. He peeped repeatedly, calling out for his friend when he didn't sense his regular body form nor Amethyst's.

However he did sense a new figure…a **large** one at that.

"HISSSSSSS!" he simultaneously warned and demanded where his master was.

"Rudy! Rudy, its okay bud. We're here. We're **both** here."

"Grrrrrrr…." he growled, clearly not believing this new voice.

"We…we fused?" it said unconvincingly since they couldn't believe it themselves. "…We fused. WE FUSED! WOOHOO!"

Once Rudy heard that "woohoo" with a slight tinge of Steven's voice tone, his doubts about whether or not this being claimed to be who they were gradually disappeared.

But he still had to make sure.

He sent one of his vine appendages out of feel out the new stranger. It slowly and cautiously leaned into their open palm. The strokes were still as soft as before and even covered a greater area due to now having two hands on the same arm. For one final test, he leaned his head towards their navel and gently placed his mouth on the now grayish brown-colored stone. It only took a brief second for that familiar energy to course through his massive body before their claims turned out to be the truth. He happily peeped over and over as he wrapped himself around them, giving his equivalent of a big hug.

"H-Hey! C-Cut it out Rudy! That t-tickles!" the new being laughed when he shook his leaves, releasing more of that tantalizing aroma. Rudy complied and gently set them down. He nuzzled his head against them and they replied, "I know bud, this is pretty awesome! I gotta see what I look like!"

They ran past him towards crystal wall to look at their reflection. Steven's white, rainbow star shirt morphed into an off-shoulder tank top with Amethyst's black tank serving as an under layer. His khaki pants became shorts with her leggings serving as the final piece of the outfit, now properly adorned with symmetrical stars. The leather belt wasn't tight at all around their larger, stout build. Their short, somewhat wild brown hair covered their left eye. Small peach-colored freckles adorned their cheeks and shoulders and they seemed to be glowing along with their bright smile. A second arm was attached the main left arm at the elbow joint and they used all three of hands to feel their squishy face.

"This is us. It's really us!" they exclaimed as stars appeared in their eyes.

"This is so COOL! I can fuse with humans, animals and now gems!" the Steven side of the fusion spoke as they wiggled their toes. "But…what's our name?" they asked.

"Hmm…I'm trying to remember. Let's see…a Rose Quartz" they started as they summoned Steven's shield. "And an Amethyst" they added as the summoned Amethyst's whip. Then they threw the shield up into the air and caught it with the whip. "Make a" they continued as the two weapons merged together to create a brown/white, triangular patterned yo-yo with the rose emblem on the center of it. "**Smoky Quartz!" **they dubbed as they did an around the world trick with their yo-yo, being mindful not to accidentally hit Rudy with it.

"Whooooa" they marveled as they caught the yo-yo with their singular hand. They examined the dazzling features of the versatile weapon and remarked, "We made this…we made **this**! What better weapon to have in order to protect smiles?!"

However their enthusiasm was cut short when a budding river cascaded down the obscured side of Smoky Quartz's face.

"Amethyst? What's wrong?"

"It's…it's just too unreal. This has to be a dream. There's no way my flaws could've created something so…so…grand. This has to be you and your powers" they choked out as the weapon disappeared.

"Amethyst" The Steven side of Smoky spoke. "A fusion takes at least two to work, there's no way I could do this on my own. We are the ultimate po boy. We're not inferior! We know our true value because we set our own standard! And so long as it's based on love, that a winning combination in my book."

"…Love" they repeated as they placed their hands on the crystal wall.

The tears didn't stop flowing and soon a murky light came out of the stone on Smoky's chest. Their whole body felt hot – like they had just did an intense boot camp workout in the summer sun. All the anguish, anxiety, frustration, and sorrow were coming out and tears weren't enough to cool them down. They collapsed to their knees but their hands were still on the wall. They parted their plump lips in order to let out loud sobs.

"S-S-Sometimes…" they spoke through their faltering vocal chords but immediately shut their mouths and closed their eyes. It was too much at once and it was overwhelming to say the least.

"_**There's no rush. It's okay. Let it flow and make your declaration known.**_"

With that encouraging push, Smoky re-opened their lips and let the many millennia of buildup flow out in the only way that brought them comfort:

* * *

_Sometimes I talk a little too much_  
_Don't listen enough_  
_Sometimes it's way too easy for me to beat myself up_  
_Sometimes I hate the way I look when I look in the mirror_  
_One look from you I know_

_My flaws_  
_You love, you love my flaws_  
_Think they make me beautiful_  
_You don't see them as flaws at all_  
_That's why_  
_That's why, that's why I love you_  
_Cause you are, you are the one who_  
_The one who loves my flaws_

* * *

Smoky got back up onto their feet but their eyes were still shut. Their hands were closed into tight fists and the light from their chest stone got even murkier…like someone was pouring black ink into a bucket of water.

* * *

_Sometimes I get a little unsure_  
_A lot insecure_  
_Sometimes I know I might say some words_  
_That might cause some hurt_  
_Sometimes I get in my own way_  
_I'm way too much to put up with_  
_But you put up with it all_

_My flaws_  
_You love, you love my flaws_  
_Think they make me beautiful_  
_You don't see them as flaws at all_  
_That's why_  
_That's why, that's why I love you_  
_Cause you are, you are the one who_  
_The one who loves my flaws_

* * *

Soon they started thrashing about and running their hands through their hair. The faucet on their eyes was turned all the way to max and they let out a deafening yell. Rudy could only watch the internal battle manifest and unfold, but he knew that he didn't need to intervene because it was already a victory.

* * *

_You think I'm everything when I think I'm nothing_  
_When I hate myself you still love me_  
_Love me and_

_My flaws_  
_You love, you love my flaws_  
_Think they make me beautiful_  
_You don't see them as flaws at all_

* * *

Lights now emanated from both of their gem stones, but the brilliance increased tremendously! The obscure coloring burned away, leaving nothing but an alizarin crimson light in its wake. It reflected off the walls in a blinding fashion, but their singing was just as dazzling as they increased the volume of their voice to its absolute limit. And it didn't hurt so have some naturally sweet acoustics. Not once in their lifetime have they gone all out for themselves. Even if the audience was a vine and a row boulders, they were going to make sure that this testament would be heard within them for generations to come.

* * *

_You love, you love my flaws_  
_Think they make me beautiful_  
_You don't see them as flaws at all_  
_That's why_  
_That's why, that's why I love you_  
_Cause I love, I love the one who_  
_The one who loves my flaws_

_My flaws_  
_You love, you love my flaws_

* * *

As that last note faded away, so did the crimson light - but not before a bright flash encircled Smoky's chest stone, turning one of the facets from brown to red. But the crying gem wasn't aware of any of that – they were too focused on loving themselves by hugging themselves as tight as they could. The heat began to dissipate and breathy laughter replaced their forlorn sobbing. They looked at themselves again and used the white shirt to wipe their eyes. Getting a good look at their puffy red cheeks and nose they simply exhaled, "Man…look at us" the Amethyst side spoke.

"Yea. Still…I wouldn't change a single thing" the Steven component added.

"Me neither. I'm loving this."

They stood up straight and tall with their hands on their hips and declared in unison, "**I love me!"**

* * *

"_**Well said. Well said indeed! Broken pieces fused to form something new."**_

* * *

"Hey Rudy, I'm good now. Can you help me through the hole please?" Steven's voice rang out of the fusion.

"Actually…I don't think we'll fit. And…I'm not ready to un-fuse just yet, if that's okay" the Amethyst side asked.

"Of course it is! I'm not ready yet either. But how're we going to get out? I don't want to mess up your secret room"

**"Our secret room."**

"What? But"

"Well…It's not a secret anymore is it?" the Amethyst side slyly commented.

"Heh, I guess not. Well, if you're okay with it."

"Totally" they said as they summoned three yo-yo's and launched them towards the wall. But all it did was make a few scratches on the material.

"Dang…this stuff really is hard. Guess we'll have to un-fuse" they sadly concluded.

But Rudy tore them out of their despair when he roared loudly. "R-Rudy? What's wrong?"

"GRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAGH!" The whole area shook and they saw small veins traversing through the entire width of the wall.

"What the?!" they exclaimed as they backed away from the thrashing plant. The tremors increased in intensity, but it wasn't too severe. The tapestries merely fluttered and the ceiling still stayed intact.

"C-CRAAAAAAAAAACK!"

"RAAAAAAA!" With one final push the wall shattered like a sheet of thin ice; Smoky quickly surrounded themselves with their shield so the debris wouldn't hit them.

"RUDY!" they called out through their bubble as the snow white mist cloud obscured their sight.

"Peeep! Peeep! Peep! Peep!"

"What in the?" Smoky stood there with their mouth wide open when the dust cloud finally disappeared. Rudy was unharmed but the appearance definitely took their breath away.

"…That's a lot of heads" they finally said as the chorus of happy peeps continued to fill the now open pantheon. "One, two, three…fifteen" they counted and all of them went up to nuzzle them. "H-Hey! That tickles!" they giggled and they all backed off. "Are you all okay?" they asked and the nodded in unison. "Wow…this is AWESOME! Everything's transforming!"

"Yea…in more ways than one." the Amethyst side commented.

Soon their starry giddiness went away once they saw the mounds of crystal debris everywhere.

"Wait a sec…OH NO! The picture!" the Steven part exclaimed as they put one hand on their head.

"What picture?" Amethyst asked.

Rudy answered their question when a couple of vines unwrapped themselves on his back and showed the portrait completely unharmed.

"Oh thank you Rudy! Thank you thank you thank you!" the Steven side praised as they received the portrait.

"Wh-What's this?"

"When I woke up, Dad took me over to Onion's house and I met his mom Vidalia."

"Vidalia?! Man…I haven't seen her in forever."

"Yea, she was really nice. A little crazy…but still a good person."

"Heh…still the troublemaker."

"Yea. So dad asked her to make a new portrait after I accidentally destroyed the first one of mom. I can't wait til you see it! It's so cool! It's like a giant scrapbook of all the different memories our family created. Anyway I saw this portrait of you and she told me that she really wanted to be **just like **you. **You** inspire her. She even did a bunch of pictures of you out of memory. She told me whenever things got crazy at home, she would think of you and how you could just roll with it. You help her through the tough times even when you're not there."

"Heh…" the Amethyst side of Smoky chuckled as one last stray tear flowed down her freckled cheek. "**I am worthy of honor…just like you said. **Thanks for bringing this."

"No prob-"

"Seriously dude. Thank you" the Amethyst side of Smoky insisted. A smile appeared on the fusion's lips and they merely nodded their head – no other words were necessary. They approached the crystal arrangement behind the throne and found one little piece that served as a perfect anchor.

"There" they said as they straightened out the picture. "Perfect"

"CRRRRAAAASSSSH!"

Smoky quickly turned around when another large piece of the wall fell from the ceiling and onto the ground. "Rudy! Are you okay!?" they frantically asked as they ran back to him.

"PEEP" came the collective response.

"Good…" they sighed in relief. Now that the danger had passed, they finally surveyed the sea of debris strewn all over the place.

"…Sorry about the mess."

"Don't worry about it. This is nothing compared to the mess I've been living in for Earth knows how long. Let's see if we can put Pearl's pearlnado to shame" they grinned as they cracked their knuckles. But Rudy beat them to the punch and started gobbling up all of the crystal chunks; swallowing even the larger bits in one gulp no less.

"…_burp_"

"…Wow. Talk about a healthy appetite. You don't have a belly ache do you?" they asked and the massive vine shook their heads no. "That's good. Thanks Rudy! But we gotta work on your burping skills. With fifteen heads you'd be able to beat Garnet easily" they commented and Rudy cocked all of his heads to the side. "Don't worry about it Rudy, you're fine the way you are. C'mon, let's go back to Steven's room."

The plant heeded their command and began bringing all of the heads back inside the main body. He further condensed himself to the recognizable size and wrapped himself around their waist.

"You've got to teach me how to make my stomach do that. I'd be able to win so many eating contests. Then again, the competitive eating committee might ban me" they joked before turning around and taking one last look around the throne room.

"_…Just one last thing to clean up"_

They ran up to the throne and picked up Rock Star Bear Bear as well as the tambourine. "_You're in charge_" they whispered as they set the toy and the prized instrument on the soft cushion.

Then they went behind the throne to the squalid nook. They stared at the area for a long moment. "…**Never again**" they swore and they knelt down to pick up all the sharp shards. Instead of putting them in a bubble, they summoned a shield to hold all of the pieces and walked out of there with their head held high. They carried on in silence with the shards clinking against each other like a sickening chime. Eventually they reached the main part of Amethyst's room. Smoky could only survey the damaged area with their mouth slightly open in shock and disgust.

"…What have I done?" they asked with Amethyst's tone.

"You weren't yourself. I can help clean up if you want me to." Steven's side offered.

"Thanks…but no thanks. I did this. It's my responsibility. Besides, you've cleaned up plenty and I'm grateful for that. …It's funny. They only reason I kept most of this stuff was because I knew what it was like to be discarded like trash. I knew that these were inanimate objects and I knew they couldn't feel anything…but I connected with them. Like I could understand them. It's crazy I know but…that's how I coped. I won't get rid of everything…but at least I can start somewhere. Heh…talk about seeing things through a fresh set of eyes. And don't worry, at least I had enough sense to no mess with your dad's stuff."

They continued past the demolished piles until they reached a small puddle. No cannon balls this time around – they carefully poked their head through the water to check the area.

"All clear" their deemed when they didn't see any bubbles in their way.

They held the shield to their chest as they somersaulted into a forward roll, sticking the landing just a few feet from the smoldering lava pool. They took a deep breath and approached the scorching basin, letting the arid air radiate across their construct. They brought the shield down from up against their body and looked at knife-like shards. In one swift motion they turned the shield over and dumped the pieces into the smelting pool – watching them dissolve into unrecognizable molten liquid. They let out a long exhale.

"Are you okay?"

"Never better. And I mean it" they genuinely smiled and hopped up to the ledge where the main entrance was.

Dual red lines split the door open for them and they walked inside the beach house. They stretched their arms up, relishing in the faint salty smell of the sea and the gentle warmth of the glowing sun upon their skin.

"Mmmmm…feels good to be outta there!" they beamed, but their giddy announcement startled an additional occupant.

"H-Huh? What?" the intruder garbled before sitting up in Steven's bed.

Smoky looked up and stars appeared in their eyes. "GR-AD!" their two minds combined.

"WHOA! OOF!" he grunted as the shock caused him to fall off the bed.

"Grad!" they shouted as they ran up the stairs to the bedroom loft. "Are you okay?"

"Wh-who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Smoky Quartz! Nice to meet ya!" they beamed.

But their excitement didn't transition over to Greg as he desperately grabbed the fusion and pleaded, "Please! Have you seen a little boy with curly hair wearing a shirt with a rainbow star on it? Or even a purple gem with long white hair?"

"Grad, calm down. It's okay. Steven and Amethyst are fine" they assured.

"Wh-what? But how do you…I didn't tell you their names. And who's Grad?" he articulated as he tried to corral the flood of questions entering his mind into one coherent sentence.

"You're Grad! Greg and dad combined. And I know they're fine because they're **me**! I'm their fused form! How cool is that?!" they happily asked.

"Fused…form?" he repeated.

"Yep! And check it out!" as they ran back down the stairs to living room area so they could have a little extra space to work with. "Presenting the ultra-versatile and just plain awesome weapon for protecting smiles all over the world!" they announced as they summoned their giant yo-yo. "Betta watch yourself bad guys or you're gonna get a face full of this!" they stated as they struck a dynamic action pose while extending their yo-yo out near the temple door – hovering slightly above the floor.

**CHCK CHIC**

They retracted their yo-yo and it disappeared into diamond fractals. Smoky brought their dual hands up to their lips and they blew on them, like how an old gunslinger would blow the smoke away from his barrel.

They looked up at Greg's wide- eyed, flabbergasted countenance. "Pretty smooth right?" they smiled and all he could do was slowly nod in agreement, before his wide open mouth morphed into a wide smile of his own.

"Heh…hehehaha!" He ran down the stairs and embraced the fusion in the tightest hug he could muster.

"Uh…Grad? Are you okay?" they asked when they felt water spring from his eyes.

"I'm just glad you're **both** okay and back to your old selves. I mean with all this craziness and…and…" he articulated as best as he could as he continued to squeeze them.

"…**You're wrong**" Smoky countered.

"Huh?" he asked and looked up at them.

"We're not our **old** selves. We've changed. **I've changed**. Let a lot of stuff go and… well…my eyes are clearer and I'm okay with that."

Greg smiled and replied, "So long as you're happy, **like for real**, then that's all that matters to me."

"I am. For the first time in like forever…**I am**" they asserted as they returned the hug, filling the house with subtle gray light that melded perfectly with the luminous rays of the early evening sun. After a couple of minutes, they got out of the hug and Smoky let out a long yawn.

"Tired?" asked Greg.

"Hmmm…a little bit. It's been a _**long**_ day." they admitted.

"Tell me about it. Can't believe it's already 5pm" he added as he glanced at the clock on the new red microwave.

"Dad…I'm so sorry I made you worry. I should've told you what I was up to before I left Vidalia's house like that" the Steven side spoke.

"Don't give it a second thought. She was right anyway. You handled it beautifully and look at the results you guys obtained. Guess I didn't need to be here after all. Wasted all that time and energy worrying over nothing. But I'm glad I came or else I wouldn't be a witness to all of this. I couldn't be any prouder of you both." he smiled and a faint blush crossed their features.

"OH! Did you bring the picture?" Smoky asked.

"Sorry Smoky, but Vidalia was hit with a sudden case of artistic inspiration and she's been painting more mini portraits ever since you…er…Steven left. She'll call me and let me know when it's done." he explained.

"Cool! I can't wait! Hey, do you think she can do a portrait of me?" they asked.

"I don't see why not. I think this is a pretty important memory to illustrate. Just let me take a picture and I'll send it to her."

"Alright!" they happily shouted and they reached for their pocket. "Huh…where's my phone?"

"It's still in the car. I'll use mine" he answered as he pulled out his smart phone. "Alright, gimme a pose" he said as held his phone up in front of his face.

_"Hmm…what should I do? I know!"_ They summoned their yo-yo and used two hands to hold it behind their head while their free hand on their third arm gave the peace sign.

"Perfect! One, two, three! Cheese!" **CLICK** "Yep, it's a winner" he smiled as he looked at the screen.

"Lemme see! Lemme see! Please" Smoky playfully begged and Greg showed them the picture. "Wow" was all they could say. "Can you send me a copy please?"

"You got it Smoky." Greg pressed a couple of buttons and confirmed "Done and done. I wonder how Vidalia will dress it up."

"It'll be amazing, I know it!" they beamed.

"For now, how about we celebrate? Got any ideas for dinner? Pizza? Bits?" he listed.

"Actually…I have a taste for some po boys" they admitted.

"Po boys huh? Haven't had that in a while."

"I haven't seen any restaurants in Beach City serve any po boys before."

"That's because the ones I got for me and Steven were from "Huey's" in Bayburg" he explained.

"Oh…all the way out there huh?" they asked.

"Hey now, no sad faces. I said we're going to celebrate and we're going to celebrate! Who says we have to go all the way out there? Let me go to the store, get a couple of things and we'll have ourselves a good ol' fashioned fish fry!"

"With sundaes! If that's okay" they added.

"You got it bud" he smiled.

"Alright!" they triple fist pumped.

* * *

_**A few hours later…**_

"Man…that was the best food I've ever had! Well…technically that was the only food I've ever eaten before but it was still awesome! BUURP! Ooo excuse me" the full fusion pardoned as they set the empty crystal bowl down on the marble counter. "Oop, missed a spot" and they licked the remaining chocolate syrup off of their ring finger.

"Well it was a joint effort; having three hands helps shrimp peeling go a lot faster, so thanks for your help" Greg complimented as he finished washing the kitchen area. The last thing he needed was for Pearl to have a conniption over the floury mess in the re-designed house. He even lit a sweet, cherry-blossom scented candle to help diffuse the smell of fish and French fries.

"What kind of spices did you use on the shrimp anyway?" they asked.

"**Slap yo momma**" he replied.

"…What?" they asked to make sure they heard right.

"That's what it's called; don't ask me why. That's the main spice they use at Huey's. I'm sure they add some other things but it was still good how we did it."

"It sure was! The coleslaw on the hot shrimp in a warm French roll was just amazing! I could eat'em forever!"

"Well, now you know how to make'em whenever you get a craving for it."

"Yea! The Universe po boy" they deemed. "Just imagine if we opened a restaurant and sold these things."

"Something tells me Kofi and Fryman wouldn't like it very much." Greg pointed out.

"Huh? Why not?" they asked.

"Well…let's just say they know how to fight for their costumers" he explained and left it at that. "Besides I thought you were the protector of smiles."

"I can branch out. Give'em smiles with good food and protect'em." they replied.

"Huh…that works" he chuckled before Smoky let out another long yawn. "Good food also helps people relax. And if you don't mind Smoky…can I see my son again please? I mean, I like hanging out with you and all-"

"It's okay, don't worry about it Grad. I gotcha. I'll just see you next time. And I'll make sure "Lil' Butler" is nowhere to be found" they said as they showed a soft smile.

Greg smiled back as he got the subtle apology. "Sounds like a plan to me."

They nodded and bade him farewell. "See ya, and thanks again!"

As soon as they said that a bright purple light engulfed them. It dissolved into a loud burst a starry purple smoke, splitting them apart into two…semi recognizable forms.

"Uhhh…" was all Greg could utter when he saw them.

"Yawwwwn…mmm" Steven roused as he opened his eyes. "Mmm…soo fluffy" he commented as he laid on top of what felt like a soft, fuzzy blanket.

"S-Steven?" Greg called out.

"Hm? Oh hey dad!" he called out as he looked down at him.

"…"

**Looked down at him?**

It took a minute for Steven's brain to catch up to the unusual height difference. It wasn't a huge discrepancy, but it felt like he was still the same height as Smoky. "Dad…did we un-fuse right?" he asked.

"You did but…does this normally happen? Do you…do you guys change this much?"

"What do you mean?" Steven asked as he looked down to see what he was sitting on.

"Amethyst?!" he exclaimed when he realized that it wasn't a cushy blanket he was sitting on, but on top of her shoulders immersed in her long locks. Soon his shock turned into awe and he beamed, "**You're taller**!"

Indeed, her body build was the same but her height was just a hair shorter than Pearl. Her new attire consisted of a white tank top with punk rocker frayed edges at the bottom, black leggings with uniform-shaped grayish mauve star patches and sleek matching boots.

However…Amethyst wasn't feeling the same enthusiasm. She just stared at her hands, clenching and unclenching them. There was no tightness, dizziness or even the slightest tinge of pain from her construct being pushed to its limit. It felt…**natural**. "H-How?" she uttered.

"A-Amethyst? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Steven" she spoke as she took him off of her shoulders. "**I want you to poof me.**"

"WHAT?!" the universe men exclaimed.

"You heard me" she asserted.

"Amethyst, no! What's wrong? I thought…I thought"

"Steven, it's not like that. I promise. I just need to make sure that this body is me. Like **really** me" she explained.

"But…but isn't there another way?" Greg asked.

"Y-Yea! How about you shapeshift to your regular size" Steven suggested.

"…Alright. But if it doesn't work, I want you to hit me with your best shot. No holding back, got it?"

"…Got it" he reluctantly agreed.

"Good" she said as she carefully put him down on the floor. "Alright…hrrrrngh!" she grunted as she tried to shrink down to her "normal" form. However the metamorphosis didn't last more than two minutes before the strain caused her to revert back to her new form.

"I…I don't get it" she whispered as she tried to change back one more time. It was met the same results. "It…it actually hurts to be small. Then this really means…"

"A-Amethyst?" Steven questioned as he slowly approached her. She placed her face in her hands and started taking deep shuddering breaths.

"Amethyst! I-I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I don't know what happened! I swear I didn't do it on purpose! M-Maybe Garnet knows how to fix it, but please don't hate me-"

"You big dummy!" she laughed as the two men saw that she had a smile on her face despite her tears. She grabbed him in a bear hug and proclaimed, "**You already fixed me!**"

She lessened her hold on him but still clung to him for dear life. "All my life I felt incomplete…no matter what anyone said. But when we fused…talked…sang together and joked around it felt like I was staring at my missing half. **Steven, thank you**. Thank you so much! I don't know what you did either and I don't care. You gave me what I always dreamed of…**myself**. I'm not like Jasper or the other Amethyst and I'm not a runt anymore. **I'm me**. And for once in my life I'm comfortable in my own skin. Thank you little man, you rock!"

"We both rock, and that's why we're the best" he corrected as he returned the embrace.

Soon a faint purple stream of light emerged out of their gemstones, encircling them like a fancy ribbon. But the two gems were unaware of it and Greg decided to keep quiet lest he ruin the important and intimate moment. But natural body responses interrupted it anyway.

"Yawwwwwn…" Steven yawned as he started to teeter in her arms.

"C'mon little man. Rose _**knows**_ you need your rest" Greg said as he looked in his closet to grab a pair of pajamas. "Here ya go bud. Do you need us to help you?"

"It'sss okay. I got it" he slurred as he rubbed his eyes. He grabbed the attire consisting of a red t-shirt with a yellow lion paw print on it as well as black/red boxer shorts from him. Amethyst set him down and he walked into the bathroom to change and perform his other nightly hygiene rituals.

While they waited Amethyst spoke, "…G-Greg?"

"Yes Amethyst?"

"I'm…I'm sorry for y'know…**everything.** I know it's a long list but I just want to know if we can still be cool."

"Of course we can. In fact, I'd like that very much. And like I told you before, I forgive you. You've learned from it and will be a better gem out of this experience, right?"

"You know it" she smiled as she rubbed his bald head.

"Heh, I guess I'd better start getting used to this. Still better than a punch to the gut though" he chuckled.

"Aw c'mon! Those were love taps" she argued before both of them ended up laughing together. "Y'know…that night after we did music video, when you and Rose were talking and dancing together…I said to myself "I think this one's my favorite." So yea…I'm glad, **really glad**, that she chose you" she smiled.

Little tears almost burst through Greg's eyes, but he managed to keep it together. "T-Thanks Amethyst. That mean a lot to me" he said through a slightly faltering voice.

Soon the creaking of the bathroom door signaled that their little guy was all ready for his much needed dreamland vacation.

"Yawwwwn…wow. I've never yawned this much before" he commented as he walked over to them.

"Well no duh ya little goober. You did a lot and I'd say you earned your rest. Just…don't sleep for a week okay?" Amethyst added as she picked him up and carried him up the stairs while Greg followed suit. He moved the comforter out of the way and she laid him down.

"Comfy bud?" Greg asked as he covered him.

"Yea" he confirmed as he settled into the mattress. "But…can I have a bedtime story? Pleeease?"

"Dude, you can have whatever you want" Amethyst replied.

"What story do you want to hear? Cookie Cat and the Galaxy Spider Bit Bandits? Split Milk helps Bashful Apple? A story about me and your mom?"

But Steven shook his head at his father's selections. "Let's make up a story" he decided.

"Oh…o-okay bud, but I'm not all that good when it comes to literature like that. Well…except song writing anyway" he admitted.

"That's okay. We can do it together! I'll start" he volunteered before letting out another yawn.

* * *

"There was a trumpet factory that made some of the best trumpets in the world" he began and Amethyst jumped in next, taking it into a direction that none of the universe men expected.

"But…one trumpet came out small and in a weird shape. Even though it came from a great company, nobody wanted to play it."

Steven grabbed the "phone" back and started talking, "Then one day someone bought the trumpet when it was dirt cheap so they could play in a band with their two band mates. But…it sounded wrong on her lips. The band mates thought that if it was a different color, it would sound better. So they painted it **blue** for soul. Nothing. Next was mellow **yellow**. Didn't work. Finally they painted it striking **sliver** so it could be loud and in charge. Still didn't sound right. Instead of practicing with it and being patient, they got frustrated with it, believing it was the trumpet's fault, and dented it up badly."

Greg decided to step in add his own ingredient to the story soup, "Then one day another trumpet player found the abandoned-"

**sniff**

He stopped when he heard Amethyst sniff up some mucous. "I'm fine, just dusty" she assured and he didn't press further into it.

"Trumpet and took it home. She wasn't a professional, but really enjoyed making music. She cleaned it up and fixed the dents the best she could, but the marks remained."

Amethyst decided to take control of steering wheel this time. "Then she took it to a master repairer and he actually listened to the sound. By listening to it, he found out what the problem was. **Little parts were in the wrong places.** It took a lot of time to fix it, but he didn't give up – even when the parts didn't want to fit like they were supposed to. Soon it was fixed, but it still didn't look like the rest of the trumpets from the factory. But when he played it, the sound was…was"

"_**Sensational**_" Steven finished.

"Yea, that's it" she confirmed before Greg took his turn.

"And the master repairer gave it back to the kind player and she played it for everyone's enjoyment; it was even better than the trio of band mates' music."

"There were still little marks on the trumpet's body, but it all came together to create a one-of-a-kind design. But the one mark that stood out was a little **red star**, the mark of the master repairer" Amethyst threw in.

"Everyone danced to the wonderful music the kind player created with her trumpet. It was always a welcoming melody because they knew fun times were starting. The**yawwwn**end" Steven finished before snuggling up next to his stuffed pink lion.

"That was a great story. Thanks Dad. Thanks Amethyst. Good…night…" and just like that he was out like a candle light.

"Good night Steven" Greg leaned in and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Sweet dreams."

Small snores filled the beach abode combined with the sound of the waves softly encroaching onto the shore. The two guardians stared at him for a good while before the elder universe let out his own yawn.

"Guess it's time for me to hit the hay too" he said as he stretched his arms up.

"Don't worry Greg, I'll keep watch over him. But…I just need to do something first."

"Sure, do whatever you need to do Amethyst. Steven's phone is on the dresser, so call me if anything happens."

"You got it. But before you go back to the wash…I need to know something."

* * *

_**Later that night…**_

"And just one more…done!" exclaimed the proud artist. She set her palette and small, single hair paint brush down and admired her work.

"_Sheesh! Those little details are a pain in the butt, but it's all worth it. But they're going to need to expand the house or something, this is going to be a wall-sized mural for sure_" she thought at she began to clean up. But she didn't make much headway when she heard a knock on the wooden frame of the garage.

_"What the? Who would show up at this time of night?"_ she thought. As a precaution she moved closer to her shot gun that was propped up against the bench.

"Come in" she warily invited, but her fears quickly disappeared when the figure entered through the teal tarp. Her eyes went wide when she beheld the surprisingly shy purple gem; her hands were behind her back and she shifted side to side in place.

"Amethyst?!" she exclaimed.

"H-Hey Vidalia" she sheepishly replied.

The paint splatted woman ran up to give her old friend a big hug. "Wow…you changed" she complimented as she looked her up and down.

"So have you. Slippers huh?" Amethyst cheekily replied.

Soon big smirks crossed their faces as they simultaneously said, "**But you still look terrible!**" Laughter rang throughout the garage, rekindling a dormant spark between them.

"But seriously though, how are you?"

"For once in my life…I'm great! You have **no idea** what happened" she replied.

"I'm guessing **Steven** happened" she smiled.

"Hah! Guess that's one way to sum it up. But it's also thanks to you too" she replied as she gave her another bear hug. "Thanks for the portrait…and what you said. That really helped me out. _**Seriously**_. You couldn't even imagine the dark place I was in."

"What're friends for? And I meant every word" she choked out as she returned the embrace.

"I know you did" Amethyst whispered. They stayed locked in that hold for a few minutes, pouring all of their gratitude for one another for helping them through all of their own personal struggles. When they finally let go, they saw each other's puffy, tear stained faces.

"Heh…how'd did these troublemakers turn into a couple saps?" Vidalia chuckled as she wiped her eyes.

"You tell me" Amethyst smiled with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Hey! Now that you're here, come see the new portrait I've been working on." She led her to the giant collection of pictures and all Amethyst could say was, "Whooooaaaa."

"Heh, y'know Greg and Steven said the same thing" she commented.

"Well no duh, this is flippin' amazing!" she praised as her eyes drank up all the details until her gaze focused on the newest petal edition.

"Careful! I just finished that one so it's still wet" she warned.

"…I shouldn't be surprised that you did it so fast. You're one heck of an artist after all."

"Why thank you" she smiled. "But it helps when I'm passionate about the subject matter. I normally don't do photo replications, but I made an exception this time…with an artistic touch of course."

Inside the petal was a complete and nearly flawless line work of the photo of Smoky Quartz, but the fluid movement of the brush strokes as well as the addition of deep reds to the gray skin really made it look alive. A tint of gold glitter was added to freckles to make'em shine.

"What didja use on the yo-yo?" Amethyst asked as she gazed upon her muted reflection in some of the triangular patterns.

"Aluminum foil" she proudly answered.

"For real?!"

"Mm hm, Nice touch huh?"

"…_Something that's thrown away constantly that's used to make something amazing" _thought Amethyst before answering, "It's perfect! You've really outdone yourself."

"Yea, it's got a life of its own now. And something tells me I'll be adding more to it soon, so I'll hang onto it for now." Vidalia said.

"Sounds like a good plan to me."

"Yea. So what's next for you? Want to sit for a spell and have some tea?"

"I'm sorry V. I really want to, but I have to keep an eye on Steven. Greg's pretty beat" she explained.

"Oh! Right, right of course."

"But I'll see you around for sure." Amethyst promised.

"You'd better keep that promise" she said as she lightly punched her arm.

"I will. Believe me I will because I **know** what you'll do" she smirked.

"C'mon, I'm not **that** bad" Vidalia asserted before both them shared another hearty round of laughing.

"See ya Vidalia" Amethyst said as she hugged her friend.

"I know you will" she replied and released herself from the hug. "Are you going to show everyone else your new look when you get back?"

Amethyst shrugged her shoulders and said, "Eh, they'll see me eventually. **I already have my own seal of approval.**"

"That you do." Vidalia smiled as she watched her inspirational friend exit through the tarps – lighting up the darkened landscape with her newfound internal glow. "_Just keep on rollin' til nothing's in your way_" she thought as she continued her clean up/prep work for whatever new idea came through. And with Steven's life as the focal point, the imaginative possibilities were limitless.

* * *

**Amethyst is on the right path and even got an unexpected power boost so to speak(thanks for the idea ****Komnenid). But how did it happen? And what secrets is Navi concealing from Steven in regards to his gem make-up and new Typhon induced powers? Stay tune for part two of "Another Part of Me". Look back at chapter 28 to see who's next(or should've been first).**

**This whole chapter was just...wow. Insecurities, self-esteem issues, and negative thinking whether its fueled from the inside or from outside forces ain't no joke. But once you get over them, it's just so empowering. I hope this chapter helped someone out because I know it helped me. And I hope you guys liked the way I introduced Smoky Quartz.**

**Also po boys are flippin' delicious! Go try one(so long as you're not allergic to shellfish). And Huey's is the name of an actual restaurant in Savannah, GA. Some of the best beignets in town. Also Slap yo mama is an actual seasoning blend. No joke. My grandma uses it for her pork chops and turkey necks and they are amazing!**

**I don't own Steven Universe, Huey's, Slap yo mama, Kierra Sheard's music catalogue nor "The Prince of Egypt" music catalogue. Just my imaginative capabilities.**


	44. Chapter 44

**Warning: there is mention of blood**

* * *

"Wh-Where am I?" asked the confused blue gem. Lapis' vision was obscured by a murky white mist and despite her best efforts she couldn't wave it away with her hydro-kinesis.

"Hello?" she meekly called out in case she were to startle whatever inhabitant lived here. Her bare soles walked along the smooth ice-like marble floor as she tried to feel out her surroundings.

"HELLO?" she dared to yell out, but still got in a defensive stance.

_"L….sss" _

"_Huh? What was that?_" she thought when her ears picked up what sounded like her name.

**_"_**_L…p…ssss__**"**_

_"There is it again! But where is it coming from?"_ It seemed as though the mist heard it as well because the path to her right became a little clearer.

"…"

She nervously stared at the passage way that was revealed by the vanishing mist.

"_…It's a trap, it has to be. But it's my only lead. __**Don't worry…everything will be fine**__" _she mentally pumped herself up with the teachings she learned from the rest of her adoptive family. As she continued along the walkway, an unsettling sensation of déjà vu passed through her body.

"_This place…have I been here before?" _she asked herself.

Soon the narrow way opened up to a pythonic corridor decorated in hues of blues and whites. Five massive columns lined the walkway on each side. On the tops of each of them was an intricately carved design that almost resembled some kind of serpent with a mane of feathers surrounding its head. Open air windows showcased surprising silent teal-tinted waterfalls. When Lapis went over to touch the cascading water, she was impeded by an invisible barrier.

_"Is…is this a temple? An underwater temple…that would explain a few things. The magic that's keeping the water outside might be affecting my powers. Still…what is this place? And how did I get here?"_ she thought as she continued walking down the main path. She nervously rubbed her fingers together, looking around for anything that could pop out.

Eventually she reached what appeared to be a shrine of some sort at the end of the corridor. Another feathered serpent was coiled into the shape of circle, suspended above a small, enclosed pool illuminated by blue glowing pyramid-shaped stones.

However, Lapis' illusionary breath became rapid and shallow once she saw the massive silver mirror in the middle of the snake. "_No!"_ she panicked as she stumbled and fell on her bottom. Thousands of memories of her imprisonment flooded her mind as her own scared reflection stared back at her.

Forget her earlier questions, she just wanted to find a way out! But going back the way she came would've proved to be fruitless, lest she wanted to wander aimlessly around in the fog for possibly an eternity. She furiously ran her fingers through her hair to try and formulate some of kind of escape plan, or even just trying to stimulate any memories of this place. But to no avail. Little tears started to prick through her eyes as her anxiety squeezed her like one of those snakes.

_"_Please…anyone…" she choked out.

And unfortunately someone heard.

"Hello?"

Her gem could've cracked in half due to the stress building up inside her when she heard a voice.

How quickly priorities turn. She wanted help but wasn't sure if the inhabitants were friend or foe and she didn't want to risk her safety. She scrambled to her feet and hid behind one of the columns and sat down, bringing her knees to her chest. She put her hand over her mouth lest she reveal her position with an unintentional sound; not needing to breathe turned out to be a life preserver at the moment.

Tentative footsteps tapped across the marble floor before coming to an abrupt halt. If Lapis had as heart it would've been beating right out of her chest; the suspense was maddening! Against her better judgement she cautiously peered around the column to see who the occupant was. As soon as she did, her royal blue pupils stared directly into black ones.

"AAAAAH!" both of them screamed and Lapis tried to scurry away as fast as she could but she kept slipping on the slick floor.

"Lapis? Lapis! It's me, Steven!"

"S-Steven?!" She finally got her bearings and stared at the healthy, non-comatose boy in front of her. "Steven!" she shouted as she grabbed him and nearly broke his spine in half with the fiercest hug ever given to him. Tear drops dotted his white t-shirt as all the anxiety was replaced by an overwhelming surge of relief.

"La…pis…c-c…an't breeeathe" he wheezed and she immediately let go of him, only to put her hands on his shoulders to make sure that this wasn't some sick, twisted illusion conjured up by the mysterious temple.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I was just…and you're here…how are you here?!"

"I don't know! I just ended up here somehow, and then I got lost, then I heard your voice or at least what sounded like your voice and I followed it here" he managed to articulate in one breath. "What're you doing here? Do you know what this place is?"

"I don't, I'm just as confused as you are. But…it feels so familiar but I can't remember!" she exasperated as she slapped her forehead over and over to try and jog any memory.

"Hey, hey it's okay" he assured as he grabbed her hands to keep her from hitting herself.

"No it's not!" she yelled as she wretched her hands away. "My powers aren't working and my memories are still fuzzy from being trapped for so long it feels like I'm missing a part of myself! I should know this place! I should know how to get us out! I should be able to even use my powers, I mean we're surrounded by water! My element! And I can't! I just…can't" she wept.

Steven gently caressed her face and wiped the tear stains away with his thumb. "Lapis…I know how you feel. I mean, **I just found myself too.**"

She stared at him when he said that, recalling that night after the battle with Pitch Black and her Amethyst escort.

"And sometimes I forget a lot of stuff too, but it always comes back to me when I need it. And it's okay if you don't know what this place is or can't use your powers. Now that we've found each other we'll figure this out together and we're going to get out of here together. I promise" he smiled.

Lapis couldn't help but smile back and nod her head. No matter the situation Steven could always find a way to soothe her nerves, and there was no trace of fakery in his declaration. Helping her stand up he said, "Alright, let's go home!"

"**_You're not going anywhere_**" another voice hissed.

Suddenly small tremors rattled through the area, increasing in intensity with each passing second.

"Wh-what's g-going on-n!?" Steven panicked as both of them looked around to find the source of the impromptu sea quake.

"Steven look!" Lapis pointed up to the snake carvings on the tops of the columns. One by one each of their eyes lit up with a nearly blinding blue light before settling down to a cool ember glow. Once the last one lit up, the barrier keeping the water out disappeared, letting the ocean come in full force and flood the massive corridor. Lapis instinctively scooped up Steven and flew high into the ceiling, they only had a few precious minutes before the entire area submerged.

"Whew…thanks Lapis! Hey wait…your wings! You can use your powers again!" he beamed.

Lapis looked behind her and saw that her wings had indeed formed. "…You're right! That means…" With a flick of the wrist, she parted some of the water that was covering the floor. A confident smirk formed on her lips and she thought, "_Nothing will hold me down" _before she fully divided the sea so that they had a clear path with plenty of oxygen for him. "Let's go home" she said before she had another episode of déjà vu with the space tower. "**Our home**" she clarified as she sped through the open water way.

"I told you…you're not going **ANYWHERE**!"

All of a sudden a gigantic whip-like appendage snatched Steven right out of Lapis' grasp while another one slammed into the side of her chest - **hard**.

"GRACK!" she grunted as she landed on the rocky ground outside the temple. All of the water that she repelled covered her since her concentration had been broken. As least she wasn't swept away by the impromptu swirling vortex.

"Owww…" she moaned as she rubbed her chest. But she immediately snapped out of her dazed state when she heard Steven gurgle out "LAPblthhhhhhh!"

"STEVEN!" Lapis shouted as she watched him being dragged back into the depths of the flooded corridor. She tried to repel the water as fast as she could so none of the salty element could enter his throat, but it proved futile. She could only part the water outside of the corridor, not inside. She flew toward the large windows to discover that the magical barrier had re-manifested itself. Not only was it keeping the ocean out, but it was keeping her out too!

"No…no no no!" she helplessly cried as she pounded on the invisible wall. She watched through wide, shuddering pupils as the water inside the corridor became as misty and murky as when she first entered the forsaken temple. "Give Steven back! Give him back! I want him back…p-please" she pleaded as she crumpled to the ocean floor, her hands slowly sliding down the wall. "I'll do anything!"

"…**Anything?**" the sinister voice repeated when it heard her desperate deal.

Suddenly the wall she was leaning against disappeared and a mysterious current grabbed her whole body.

"H-Hey! Let me go!" she struggled as she tried to move her arms and legs about in order to create a crease so she could slip out. But to no avail. The magical force gently carried her back inside the shrouded interior.

"**Were you genuine?**"

"Wh-what? Who said that?! Who's there? WHERE'S STEVEN?!" she shouted.

"If it will make you anssswer my quessstion, I ssshall ssshow you your companion'ssss fate."

Out of the mist a stone appendage brought Steven before her presence and needless to say fury coursed through her construct like a scalding waterfall. Her best friend and savior hung limp and lifeless in its constricting grip. His naturally brilliant eyes were glossed over and his mouth was agape as if he was trying to still get some much needed oxygen into his lungs.

Her eyebrows were furrowed down so deep in rage that those illusionary muscles of hers could've stayed in place. Even with all of her anger she was still powerless to break out of the current let alone use her hydrokensis via mentally to move the water away to reveal the concealed speaker and give it its due punishment. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!?" she shouted.

"He wass merely a victim of hisss own biological make-up. I can resssstore him…if you anssswer my quessstion."

Suddenly Lapis' expression went from angry to down-right frightened when the rest of the appendages' body emerged as well.

It was the stone serpent that encircled the mirror, only it was fifty times bigger than its original size when it was a part of the shrine. The engraved feather piece around its head looked like it had pieces of the mirror or even clear gem shards embedded in it. Despite some moss growing on its segmented body, it looked like it had just been carved out of the ash colored granite it was composed of. It narrowed its icy blue eyes at the prisoner and repeated through its stiff jaws, "**Were you genuine in regardsss to your companion?"**

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

**"**Earlier you ssstated that you would do anything to ssset him free. And I sssaid that no one was going anywhere. However…I am willing to contradict my posssition just this once, sssince your declaration isss ssso unprecedented. For you sssee…thisss temple isss library if you will, containing "ssspecial" information carried by certain individualsss. And asss the guardian of thisss palace, if my massster deemsss that an individual containsss impertinent information, then it isss my duty to capture and extract that information by any meanssss necessary" it explained.

"Then why don't you just ask?! Why go through all of this?" she fired back.

"**FOOLISSSH GEM! **Ssspoken wordsss are either like honey or poissson – sssweet or crippling to hear – with the truth hidden underneath. Not to mention…_guestsss _of thisss place aren't necesssarily willing to talk mossst of the time. That'sss why I go to the sssource. The gem iss the sssource of all life for your kind. Fortunately there isss a way to extract that information."

A large circular object emerged out of the cloudy shroud, hovering above the ground thanks to the blue pyramid stones surrounding it. Lapis saw her own wide-eyed, gaping mouth, frightened expression on the reflective surface.

"…Mirror" she uttered.

"Hmmm…I sssee you are familiar with thisss particular inssstrument. There must have been sssome information that our massster couldn't gather from your gem. How did you essscape?" it asked**. **

Lapis remained silent.

"Biting your tongue? …Very well. I sssuppose it isss a trivial matter…though puzzling nonetheless. However I am true to my word, on one condition of courssse. Were you genuine in regardssss to your companion? Are you willing to take hisss place despite what can occur?" it repeated.

Lapis looked down at the flooded floor that wasn't obscured by the mist – her pupils darting rapidly from side to side as she tried to form her answer. This should've been a no brainer for her, even if she didn't technically have that cerebral organ. But under the reflective glare of the ominous mirror she couldn't say the words that Steven so boldly declared the first night of her new life.

"My patience iss wearing thin, gem" the serpent irritably spoke. "I was under the assumption that you cared for this…this…crossssbred organisssm."

"I do!" she quickly said as she snapped out of her trance.

"**Then anssswer me. Now!**" it hissed as it nearly pressed his cold stone snout against her face.

Once again her vocal chords were paralyzed. Even the stuttering, subdued "I…I…" only added fuel to the guardian's ire.

It narrowed its eyes and reeled its head back out of her personal space. **"I have my ansswer**" it deemed.

"Wh-what? But I didn't-"

"Your hesssitation sspeaks volumesss on your behalf. And asss I sssaid before…the truth iss hidden underneath. Though I don't underssstand why I'm ssso ssssurprised. I sshouldn't be, **ssself-presservation iss an ingrained part of any sspecies.** But I ssuppose I fell for your sssweet, honey tongue. **Well not anymore!**" it roared as its long, thin tongue erupted out of its mouth and latched onto the lifeless boy's gem.

"NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lapis yelled but it fell on deaf ear holes.

With an effortless tug, Steven's gem was ripped clean out of his navel. Lapis could only gape in horror as his blood oozed out of the baseball sized hole. The red liquid mixed with the mist, slowly but surely staining the whole area with a crimson tint.

"N-No…S-Steven..." she uttered as tears pricked through her eyes. Once again fury coursed through her construct and this time her rage actually caused steaming bubbles to churn throughout the area. Her pupils disappeared again, but this time her irises became as dark as the night sky. "HOW DARE YOU! YOU'LL PAY FOR TH-GAH!" Her threat was cut short as the serpent latched its tongue around her neck.

"GASSPUUSHURNNNNGH!" she struggled as she tried to move her head away as the guardian got right in front of her face.

"**IMPUDENT GEM! YOU MADE THE DECISSSION! YOU SSSEALED THIS THING'SSS FATE WHEN YOU CHOSSSE YOURSSSELF!"** it boomed as it dangled the dead boy in front of her.

The severity of what she had committed finally hit her as more tears streamed down her face. She responded to its words with harsh, pained breaths that soon morphed into whimpering sobs.

"Now…let'ss ssee what sssecrets thisss gem containsss" it said as it released her neck, reached into the back of its mouth and pulled the pink stone out of its throat. It slithered its upper body behind the massive mirror and placed the gem in a slight depression about twice as big as the gem itself. Suddenly maze-like lines surrounded the depression, causing it to shrink around Steven's gem until it was firmly secure. Lapis had to close her darkened lenses as a harsh white light erupted out of the reflective surface before morphing into a rose silhouette. The guardian slithered right next to her to watch the revealing movie.

"Ssshow me your bassse of operationss" it commanded and sure enough the mirror revealed the weathered temple as well as various locations around Beach City; the scene spent an extensive amount of time at his father's car wash.

"No…nononono!" she whispered as she turned her head away in shame, she couldn't bear to watch the cruel, involuntary interrogation of his precious mind. A cruel interrogation that **she** subjected him to.

"Now…tell me what power you possess" it demanded. It took a minute for the mirror to process its somewhat vague question, but soon images of Dark Stevonnie and Dark Levon appeared as well as the vile creatures he defeated. Then the healing song he sang in the cavern as well as his recovery abilities displayed themselves.

**CRAACK**

Lapis couldn't help but turn her head away when she heard that sickening sound. But her eyes couldn't look away for long. There before her was his broken body at Jasper's feet…the punishment he endured in order for her to be free. "_And how did I repay him? By imprisoning him!_" she mentally chided herself as a self-deprecating scowl formed on her lips.

"…Thisss…thisss isss truly assstounding! Sssuch raw energy! Sssuch ferocity! My massster was right in bringing thisss one here. If thisss isss what wasss inside of the gem, I wonder if the body will contain jussst as much" it wondered aloud before facing the blue gem. "I ssshould be grateful you gave into your basssic inssstinct for ssself-pressservation…an inssstinct clearly lacking in thisss one I sssee. How deplorable…he gave hisss life for you on several occassssions and you gave up hisss in return for your own sssafety. And the sssad thing isss that if the positionsss were reversssed, I have a feeling he wouldn't have ssshowed any hesssitation…**unlike you**."

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Lapis screamed; she wanted so desperately to cover her ears so she wouldn't hear those truthful declarations.

"…Asss you wisssh."

"H-Huh?"

Suddenly the barrier keeping the ocean out disappeared, cleaning out some the tainted mist.

"HRNNGUH!" she grunted as the current that held her captive brought her in front of the serpent's snout. "Wha-What're you doing?!" she demanded.

"Asss you commanded. I don't know what kind information you possess nor do I care. It sssurely palesss in comparissson to thisss one. And if my judgement provesss to be one of error, then I'll accept the punissshment from my massster and bring you back. But know this…" it seethed as the current disappeared and she was bound by its stone tongue.

"If I do have to bring you back…**I will make you sssuffer beyond your wildessst imaginationsss**. I have dealt with insssincerity from gems for many millennia…but thiss. Thiss is **by far** the worst. This crossssbreed wasssted itsss energy for nothing. For that isss exactly what you are. **Nothing.** Nothing to him and certainly of no value to me!"

Before Lapis could utter one word for her defense, the serpent uncoiled its tongue from around her body. But her moment of freedom was brief as that accursed binding current grabbed her and swiftly pulled her out to the depths of the ocean.

"NO!" she yelled as she was dragged further and further away from the domed temple. "L-LET. M-ME. GO!" she struggled, but the magical force ignored her wish. It was going to fulfill the serpent's command no matter what.

"HRRRRNGH! GRAAAAAAH!" *

*SPLOOOSH**

Lapis finally managed to free herself from the invisible hold thanks to its power source being so far away. But it proved to be too little too late. As soon as she caught sight of the underwater prison, the temple fizzled away to a murky haze…like it was never there.

The ocean was completely silent. The only single soul was her – paralyzed in the vast dark landscape. She snapped out of it and quickly looked around to see if there was any trace, trail, or some indication of where the mobile building went.

But no.

All that was left was the misty remainder of the temple that finally reached her. Lapis' eyes became as dark as the sea itself once she realized what the substance was…the only reminder of her savior **_bleeding_** into the surroundings.

"Ngh…ggnh…rghn…Steven" she sobbed as she curled her body into the fetal position with her hands running through her hair.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…I'm sorry…rnnngh! GRAAAAAAAWAHHHHH!"

* * *

**BOOOOM**

"What was that?!" Jasper asked when she and the rest of the gems felt the earth tremble beneath their feet.

"That came from over where Lapis was! Did something happen when Peridot went to go get her!?" Pearl asked.

"Gems!" Garnet commanded as she summoned her gauntlets. "Move!"

The rest of the team followed suit as they brought forth their weapons to the potential battle site. They ran swiftly through the uncharted forest until they came upon a newly formed clearing filled with downed trees, scattered leaves, and a pair of large, deep divots carved into the dirt.

"What in the world happened?!" Pearl asked.

"You…tell…me!" grunted Peridot. The gems looked over to their right and saw the tech gem with her tractor beam engaged to contain whatever was in the sky. Sweat was sliding down her forehead as she dug her robotic feet into whatever turf was left and tried to reel in whatever was in her grasp.

"Peridot, what's going on?!" Pearl demanded.

"HEY! Don't get mad at me! I just came over here to get Lazuli like you told me to do and she…RRGH! Was sleeping or whatever and I tried…GRUH! Waking her up and the next thing…WHOA! The next thing I know she shouts and bursts water out of her gem! Who-! GRRNNNGH! **A little help please?!**" she irritably asked.

"Wait, that's Lapis up there?" Pearl asked as all of them looked up at the green dot in the air.

"THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAID! Now help me get her down! I don't know how much longer I can hold her!" she yelled.

Jasper dismissed her helmet, rushed over to the struggling gem, got behind her and grabbed her tightly so she would stay grounded. Albeit a little _too_ tight.

"J-Jasper! What're you trying to do, poof me?!" Peridot shouted.

"Hey! You said you needed help! I'm trying to do the best I can alright?! You're the only one who can use those limb enhancers!" she irritably replied.

"Yay me…Well…SOMEONE GO UP THERE AND GET HER DOWN ALREADY!" she fumed.

"How?! We can't fly!" retorted Pearl.

"Not by ourselves…but together we can" Garnet realized.

"Huh?" she asked.

"Pearl, fuse with me!" commanded Garnet.

"What?" Pearl asked with wide eyes.

"Pearl please! We don't have much time" she pleaded.

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF DIAMOND JUST FUSE WITH HER ALREADY! It feels like my real arm is going to come off!" Peridot growled.

"O-Okay" Pearl agreed as she got rid of her spear and stood directly across from her partner, all while trying to banish the blue blush from her face. _"Why am I so nervous? We just fused a couple of weeks ago. They saw the dance…and they're too focused on Lazuli __**for her**__ to pay any particular attention to me, but then why should that matter-"_

"Pearl"

"Y-Yes?" she squeaked.

"Ready?" asked Garnet as she held up her hands in front of her like a field goal post.

"Y-Yes! I'm ready" she quickly replied before clasping her hands together in front of her somewhat exposed chest. She took a deep breath to steady her surprisingly jittery nerves. "_I'm ready"_ she whispered before extending her arm out to her partner.

A white light paired with dual crimson ones as the two gems began their intricate and intimate dance. Garnet grabbed Pearl's right hand and spun her a full turn – her sash fluttering behind her. She pulled her in close to her bosom and dipped her. As soon as their foreheads touched, the two beings were engulfed in a bright orange light.

In no time at all four eyes appeared out of the beacon, looking up towards their target. Before the figure fully revealed herself to the awaiting audience, the massive being sprung high into the air splitting the light curtain into numerous dragonflies. With a single gloved finger, Sardonyx knocked Lapis back to the ground as gently as she could…which thankfully didn't cause a crater nor poof the troubled gem.

"WHOA! OOmmph!" Peridot and Jasper grunted as the tension instantly disappeared and the two gems toppled onto one another like dominos.

"You okay?" Jasper asked Peridot.

Said gem engaged her holopad and performed a self-scan on her system. "Cybernetics intact. And I am too" she responded once a dark green check mark appeared on the screen.

Sardonyx gracefully landed on the ground next to the fallen gem, one foot at a time. Jasper and Peridot ran over to where Lapis was lying face down on the grass.

"Is she going to be alright? Why'd you hit her so hard?!" fumed Peridot.

"Uh…don't you remember that she has a hammer and that she's a fusion? I think this is about as gentle as you're going to get" Jasper answered as a matter of fact.

"Well yea but-" her counter argument was cut off when they heard Lapis groan and lift herself off of the ground.

"Uhhhhh…wh-what happened?" she garbled as she rubbed her head.

"She hit you" Peridot answered before receiving a hit on the back of her head, causing her to face plant the floor. "PTOOOH! Aahhhhh laaa" she gurgled as she spat out some grass blades and whatever other foreign objects that got in her mouth. She quickly got up and pointed her floating digit in the face of her striped attacker. "What was that for!?" she demanded.

Jasper uncrossed her arms and brushed her finger away. "Why'd you blame her? She was just trying to help" she replied.

"I wasn't blaming her!"

"Sounded like it to me."

"Lapis asked what happened and I told her!"

"You also left out some key information as to why she would hit her in the first place! You made it seem like it was unprovoked."

"Ah!...umm…oh" Peridot realized. "…Still didn't need to hit me though" she muttered.

"It works for Steven whenever he needs to knock some sense into people." Jasper pointed out.

As soon as the boy's name was mentioned, Lapis' eyes went wide and she shouted, "STEVEN! We have to help him! He's hurt and in danger! But why am I out of the ocean? How did I get back here? What did that sn-"

"Shhhhh" Sardonyx gently whispered as she placed her ungloved amber finger on her lips to quell her distressed train of words. "Darling, I'm sorry but you're not making any sense. I assure you that Steven is safe and sound with Greg. In fact, it's already time we go and check on him" she explained.

"B-But the snake and the underwater chamber"

"The only water I saw was blasting out of your gem, creating those huge divots" Peridot added.

"Wh-what?" Lapis asked.

"Perhaps its best you tell us what happened dear. We're a little out of the loop" Sardonyx suggested and Peridot and Jasper nodded in agreement.

Lapis clenched and unclenched her hands before releasing a long sigh. This time she played the role of raconteur and described the frightening and slightly gory ordeal she and Steven "went" through.

"Oh my stars…what a truly terrible nightmare" Sardonyx gasped once she finished her story.

"Nightmare?" Lapis asked, clearly confused by her descriptive word choice.

"What is a nightmare? Is it some kind of alternate reality?" Peridot followed up as she engaged her holo-pad to take notes.

The pair of eyes near the top of Sardonyx's sunglasses closed and the lower pair looked away from the group towards the ground. "I…I've never had a nightmare before…only seen the kind of anguish it can cause. A nightmare is a kind of dream-"

"Wh-What's a dream?" Peridot hesitantly asked when she picked up on the fusion's melancholy aura.

"From my understanding it's a collection of combined thoughts shown within the mind at a subconscious level. Think of it as a television show you can only see in your head" she explained.

"What's a television show? …Wait…isn't that what you banned Steven from doing?" Peridot asked.

"Yes, but as you noted that punishment was rescinded. Anyway think of a television show as…a diamond broadcast" Sardonyx clarified and Peridot understood. "It only occurs when a person is sleeping, so for us gems it's kind of an anomaly for it to occur. Amethyst would be more suited to explain the feeling."

"So…if a nightmare causes distress…are there dreams that cause good feelings inside of a person?" asked Peridot.

"Yes, most definitely! Good dreams far outweigh the nightmares, but once a person has one they wake up feeling completely frightened. Even more so than if they were in mortal danger" Sardonyx explained.

"…I can attest to that" Lapis confirmed. "And you're absolutely sure that Steven isn't in any danger?"

"I swear on all of my gems" answered Sardonyx as she saluted with her two right arms.

"But…this is quite the conundrum. Obviously gems don't need sleep and usually whenever we do it with Steven we wake up feeling refreshed. So why would this phenomenon occur?" Peridot asked.

"…I think you just answered your own question" Jasper replied as she crossed her arms.

"Huh?"

"When we sleep **with** Steven, we feel refreshed. Why do you think that is given what we just witnessed not too long ago?" she asked.

It only took a brief second for the answer to come barreling into the minds of all the gems. "Those negativity monsters…" Peridot realized. "D-Do you think they were trying to get to Lapis?"

"While that is one possibility, I don't think that's the total answer. Based on what I…saw, a traumatic experience can trigger nightmares as well. It's actually a blessing in disguise that we don't need sleep…given what we've experienced throughout the many millennia. I wish…I wish he didn't" Sardonyx quietly added.

Jasper hummed in agreement with that statement but the other two gems were still in the dark.

"What do you mean?" Lapis asked before the realization struck her like lighting. "…He has nightmares about us…doesn't he?" she somberly asked as she wrapped her arms around her stomach as if she was going to throw up.

"I cannot say for certain that he has nightmares about any of you…but…but" Sardonyx bit her bottom lip and closed all of her eyes. She tightly hugged herself. Before anyone could ask what was wrong, she disappeared in a flash of bright orange light, leaving her two components behind with Pearl holding onto Garnet for dear life. The stoic leader gently rubbed circles on her teammates back to try and ease her quiet sobs.

"Pearl? Do you want me to tell them?" Garnet asked and she vehemently shook her head no against her chest before releasing her.

Pearl faced the still confused gems and wiped her puffy eyes. Through a shaky voice she spoke, "S-Steven had a nightmare about m-me. I…I heard him one night and he said "_Pearl…no. Why don't you love me? What…do wrong…not mom…I'm sorry."_

The gems just stared at her with wide eyes -completely flabbergasted. They didn't know what to say.

But Lapis collapsed to her knees and grabbed some of the fabric of her skirt in an iron grip. Her droopy bangs shadowed her eyes as she looked at the ground. _"Of course he'd be scared of us! I almost killed him for crying out loud! I'm surprised he isn't afraid of water! But what if he is and he's just putting on a brave face so we don't leave him and-"_

Her thundering train of runaway thoughts silenced themselves when she heard rustling in front of her. She slowly looked up to see Pearl sitting across from her.

"Lapis" she softly spoke as she gently placed her right hand over one of hers; Lapis flinched from the contact but calmed herself down. "Please believe me when I say I know how you feel. You're absolutely petrified that you'll let Steven down. That's why you had that nightmare."

"And it still happened!" she yelled as she wretched herself away from Pearl's grip and stood up. "Steven gave his life for me! For all of us! But I couldn't do the same…" she cried as she squeezed her hands into tight fists. "W-When that snake made its ultimatum…when I saw the mirror…I...I just…I couldn't-"

Her explanation was cut short when Pearl surged to her feet and embraced her. "The fact that you are so concerned shows me that it'll never happen" she whispered in her ear as she held her tighter. She got up off of the stunned blue gem and showed a smile despite her puffy and damp countenance. "A wise gem once told me that the pain you're feeling now is like a sucker punch. It'll hurt like crag in the beginning, but eventually it'll subside. One of the great things about a nightmare is that **it isn't real**. You can learn from it, change your tactics, and adapt if the need arises."

A small grin formed on Jasper's face when she heard those words. _"Me…a wise gem. I'd never thought some gem would say that about me_" she thought as she chuckled to herself.

Another smile emerged, this time on Garnet's lips as she looked between Pearl and Jasper, contently nodding at the connection they developed.

However Peridot looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "_Why is Jasper laughing? And why is Garnet nodding like that? There's nothing humorous about this…unless this is some kind of abstract Earth humor! I must engage in it immediately! I will not be left out!" _Peridot internally declared before, "HAAAHAHAHAHA…haha…aaaaa" Her boisterous laugh tapered off once all eyes, even Garnet's shaded ones, were on her with puzzled expressions.

"Uh…what's so funny?" Jasper asked.

A huge dark green blush enveloped Peridot's face as she irritably rambled, "What do you mean what's so funny?! You're the one who was laughing earlier! Don't mock me! I'm not crazy, you're crazy!"

It took a second for Jasper to get the jist of her spiel. "Oh, that. Well I just thinking about a certain…situation and let's just say I was laughing at the face of danger" she replied, causing Pearl to chuckle as well.

"NONE OF YOU ARE MAKING SENSE!" she exasperated as she messed up her perfectly triangular hair.

"I'll explain it to you later Peridot, I promise. But Jasper is right. Sometimes when you face danger all you need to do is laugh to throw your enemy off guard. Intimidation is an enemy's greatest weapon, and once you get rid of that, they cannot get to you. I…I need to implement that strategy as well. We can't let the enemy intimidate us by bringing up our mistakes" Pearl said as she looked down at her tattered tunic.

"We always have to remember what truly matters to us and how much we've grown. We can't let our inner confidence be swayed by our lack of faith. Steven accepted everything we are, and that's saying something" Jasper said as she traced some of the stripes on her arms with her fingers. "I think it's about time we do the same" she concluded and everyone nodded at that sage statement.

"I couldn't have said it better myself" Garnet whispered to her as she patted the blushing warrior on the back.

"Yea…well…y'know…you lot have been rubbing off on me. N-Not that that's a bad thing! I mean…oh forget it!" she huffed as she adverted her eyesight from the reflective glasses, making a bigger grin form on Garnet's face.

"Everyone" Lapis spoke and everyone gave her their attention. "Thank you f-for all this. And I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused."

"Well…everything is still intact and no damage was caused to neither us nor the Turbo Moles, so apology accepted" Peridot spoke, garnering a sigh from everyone else. "What? What I say?!" she demanded.

"What Peridot meant was there was no apology needed" Pearl clarified.

"You had a completely natural reaction to a frightening and unfamiliar sensation" Garnet chimed in.

"And besides, it what a family do" Jasper finished and Lapis smiled at them.

"What?! That's not what I meant at all! I said-"

"We know what you said, but it wasn't the time for that. You gotta learn some tact and read the environment" Jasper interrupted.

"…Tact? What is this tact you speak of? And how can I read the environment? There are no words written anywhere!"

"Another lesson for another day. For now let's go and see Steven. I don't want to miss the chance if he happens to wake up right now" said Garnet and everyone hummed in agreement.

But before they could continue their trek through the forest path, someone else was already on it when they heard rustling in the leaves. Everyone immediately got into a defensive stance and readied their weapons.

_"If it's that stupid raccoon again I'll blast it to the moon!" _thought Peridot as she charged her blaster.

Soon the unknown intruder revealed itself and was almost greeted with an electrified water shot until Garnet yelled, "STAND DOWN!"

"Whoa! Where's the fire!?" the familiar voice spoke as she summoned her equally familiar weapon.

The rest of the gems couldn't believe who they saw; even Garnet had to take off her sunglasses to make sure that this gem was indeed who she thought she was.

"A-Amethyst?" Pearl asked.

A small blush appeared on the purple gem's face when she realized that all the fuss was about her. "Yea…it's me" she replied as she scratched the back of her head.

"AMETHYST!" Pearl cried out before latching onto her in a fierce hug.

"Sheesh Pearl…no need for water works" she joked as she hugged back.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she said as she got up off of her. She wiped her eyes with her right hand but still kept her left one on her shoulder, just to make sure that this was real. "It's just that you were gone and I know you like your space and privacy and please don't be upset but I went in your room to try and find you. I wasn't sure what I'd do when I got to you but I had to try and do something and-"

"Pearl" Amethyst shushed her by placing her finger on her rambling lips. "I know. I heard you. I…I just wasn't ready to face you. Or anyone really. But thank you. Thank you so much for caring about me" she smiled as a little moisture poked through her eyes as well.

"You don't have to thank me, I'll always care about you my little bugaboo" Pearl replied.

Amethyst's eyes got wide and she was stunned into silence for a brief moment before letting out a small chuckle. Soon her gem responded to the cherished feeling as a purple glow erupted from it. "Heh…haven't called me that in a good while."

Pearl immediately covered her mouth when she caught her error. "I'm sorry! It slipped out!"

"No no, it's okay! I-I like it" she blushed.

"But you said-"

"Yea…I know. I was just…I don't even know. Just going through a bad rebel phase I guess. I guess those slimy monsters took what you said and twisted it around to make it sound like you were demeaning me. They coated my eyes, made it seem like I was nothing compared to Garnet, Rose, Steven and especially you."

"Me?" Pearl asked.

"Well…yea. You're so perfect and it frustrated me that I could never measure up to you. Reach your level…kinda like Steven and Rose" she explained.

"Oh Amethyst…You-"

"But I'm okay now. More than okay! Thanks to Steven" she happily expressed.

"Steven?" everyone asked and Amethyst retold the events of her personal growth.

"**You two fused?!**" they all asked.

"Yep! Here's what we look like" she proudly answered as she reached into her pocket and took out Steven's phone. She opened the home screen and swiped the camera icon to get to the gallery. Once she found the picture she showed it to the rest of the team.

"Awww! You two are so adorable together!" Pearl squealed with diamonds in her eyes. Garnet couldn't stop beaming even if she tried.

"I've never seen a weapon like that before" Jasper commented.

"It's a yo-yo! It's like a retractable flail but it's also a grappling hook! And it's perfect for us because on Earth a yo-yo is a toy, something you play with to entertain yourselves – what better weapon to have for someone who protects smiles? I can't wait to practice with it some more and see what else it can do!" Amethyst smiled as she fondly looked at the photo.

"And it was after you fused that your form changed permanently?" Peridot asked.

"Yea, crazy right? I don't know how it happened and neither did Steven. Heh…he even apologized to me because he thought he did something wrong. But…it's like he filled a missing part. And for once I'm comfortable with being who I am" she declared.

"I'm glad you are" Garnet smiled as she ruffled her hair.

"Yea, this a good look for you" Jasper said until she realized how it could've been interpreted. "Wait no! I meant that you're a true quartz now. I mean you were but now you have the confidence not to say you didn't before-" Jasper's rambling was cut off by Amethyst's laughing.

"Don't worry Jasper, I'm not offended. You're right…I wasn't confident. I was just wearing a mask to hide my true feelings." She went over and gave her a small hug. "Thanks sis."

"Sis?"

"Short for sister. I know we didn't come from the same kindergarten, but we were made on Earth so that makes us related right?"

Jasper chuckled and replied, "I guess it does" as she ruffled her hair.

"But how's Steven? Is he okay" Lapis anxiously asked.

"Yep, little dude's fine. He's still a bit tired from the whole ordeal and recovery mode. He was just barely waking up when I told him I was leaving to see you guys. Greg's with him now making his breakfast…or I'd guess it'd be lunch since its past noon."

"Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go see him! I need to give him a thorough scan to make sure his organic cells are at optimal health and to see if there any changes to his gem composition and structure after you two fused. In fact, I need to scan you too Amethyst."

"Wait Peridot" Garnet commanded, halting the green gem's march.

"What? Why?" she quizzically asked.

"We're **not** going to see him-"

"WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed.

"Just Lapis" Garnet finished.

"M-me?" the blue gem stuttered.

"Why just her?!" Peridot childishly retorted while simultaneously voicing the shared and somewhat selfish thought of the rest of the team.

"Lapis, I have a special mission for you. I want you to keep Steven pre-occupied while the rest of us decorate the house for his surprise. He may have seen the renovations, but he hasn't been properly welcomed into it yet" she explained.

"Again…why just her?!" Peridot reiterated.

"If I recall correctly, she did call dibs to spend time with him first. **Just the two of them**" she articulated.

"Oooh yeaaa. Welp that settles that" Amethyst conceded.

"But…but…" Peridot fumbled through her words to make her case.

"Don't worry P, you'll see him soon enough" Amethyst assured.

"We all will" Garnet added. "

But how will you know when they leave and when they'll come back?" Peridot asked.

Garnet lowered her shades to reveal her third eye and replied, "Future Vision."

"…Hold on a sec…did you already know that-"

"I did not" Garnet cut off Jasper's question as she brought her shades back up. "…I've seen enough things that could hurt Steven…and all of us for that matter. I…I just got sick of it. So I turned it off so to speak even since we dealt with Dark Levon" Garnet explained and Jasper could only hum in understanding. "But at least this is an exception I can enjoy. Now I know what it means to live in the moment. To weather through the pain and disappointment – making any joy that comes all the sweeter."

"True dat. So whattaya waiting for Lapis? Get goin'!" Amethyst smiled as she pointed her thumb in the direction of the warp pad.

Lapis looked around at the rest of the gems and asked, "A-Are you sure?"

"Positive" Garnet smiled and everyone followed suit, even if Peridot's was a little bit forced as she gave her a floating thumbs up.

"You did call dibs after all. Plus…in a sense…I kinda took your turn if we're going off technicalities." Amethyst realized.

"It was much different circumstance Amethyst" Pearl consoled as she put her hand on her shoulder.

"Heh…at least you don't have to crouch down anymore" she joked.

"I never minded" Pearl smiled.

"Alright, alright I think I've had enough mushy for one day" Amethyst laughed. "Go on Lapis and get mushy with Steven. Oh and can you give him back his phone please? Make sure to take lots of huggy lovey pics together!"

"AMETHYST!" Pearl shrieked as her cheeks turned blue.

"_Heh…good to know some things will never change"_ Garnet thought as they watched Lapis stick the phone in her top and fly away with a smile of her own. "Alright gems, let's get back to work!"

"YEAH!" the shouted and they hurried back to the drill construction site with a lot more pep in their steps.

* * *

…

Silence engulfed the bleak, desolate area. Jagged cliff edges with millions of body-shaped eyes encompassed the blue gem as she stared at her reflection on the pristine warp pad, all feeling of jubilation replaced by a nearly overwhelming sense of dread.

_"IMPUDENT GEM! YOU MADE THE DECISION! YOU SEALED THIS THING'S FATE WHEN YOU CHOSE YOURSELF!" _

The snake's booming declaration still rang inside of Lapis' mind. She covered her ears, closed her eyes and yelled, "ENOUGH!" And sure enough the voice fled like a frightened animal, leaving only the gasping gem behind. She slowly uncovered her ears, opened her eyes and looked around.

_"…No water. No snake."_ She looked at the warp pad in front of her. _"…No mirror"_

She stepped onto it and allowed the light beam to carry her to the one person who could put her distressed soul at ease.

* * *

**How will Steven and Lapis' day together turn out? Tune in to the next part of "Another Part of Me." After watching "Wanted" looks my my idea for Lion's origin back in chapter 32 wasn't too far off. Who knew?**

**I apologize for the lateness of a new chapter and for not responding to my PM's. These past few months have been really rough on my body. I had severe shoulder tendinitis from taking a TRX class with an inadequate instructor. I could barely brush my teeth let alone type. And now I find out that I have a torn meniscus, sprained ACL, a cyst and an off track knee all in my right leg. I knew it was bothering me but I didn't think it was that bad. It's a miracle that I was even able to do my cross fit event with basically one good left arm and ibuprofen. Thankfully I don't need surgery, but between physical therapy and medication I know I'm gonna be wiped.**

**Thank you all for sticking with this story, I don't know when the next chapter will come but I'm glad you guys still enjoy it.**

**I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities. **


End file.
